The Ancient Sword and Melody
by True China Sorrows
Summary: Sasuke had long since felt the sudden aching that erupted and brought him to his knees and to shadows. The hands which heal would not let go, and neither would his comrades.
1. Chapter 1

Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín

Many years ago there was a city hidden in the mountains. A young boy lived there with his mother in peace. He was excitable and loved to explore. His adventures led him to many places and different situations. One day, it led to his safety. His fate was sealed in stone from that point onwards.

His freedom was gone.

我在受苦

The day was bright when he had left the city. He was wide eyed and full of wonders – as all six year olds were. The world was beginning its descent into autumn. The trees were vivid with brilliant colours. Red and orange filled his eager young eyes. The image was beautiful. They were his favourite colours. He ran forward when a high pitched squeal rang out. He reluctantly stopped and turned around.

His mother stood at the tree line with her hands on a young girl's shoulders. "Sasuke, look after Rin, will you? We have to care for our own,"

Sasuke frowned as he approached Rin apprehensively. "Yes, mother,"

Mikoto smiled adoringly and began her journey back to the city. "Good boy. I look forward to hearing about your adventure when you come home,"

Sasuke pushed Rin towards the path he was about to take. His eyes lingered on his mother's retreating figure sadly. He never liked to be apart from her. As her silhouette faded amidst the glowing leaves he heard Rin giggle. At once, he spun on his heel to confront her. Her hands covered her mouth but her eyes and quiet trembling betrayed her silent laughter.

"What's so amusing?" he glowered.

"Nothing is amusing," Rin replied innocently. "I find it sweet that you care for her so openly. Most people pretend that they don't until their loved one is gone. Then they mourn for not only the person but the time and the memories that they didn't share."

Sasuke grunted and stormed ahead. He grumbled lowly under his breath and strode faster. To his horror, Rin matched his pace exactly. He glowered over his shoulder and she flashed him a wide smile, knowing exactly what she was doing. Sasuke glowered at her, ready to demand that she stop, when he tripped. He fell with a _clunk_.

As he hauled his foot out Rin grabbed his arm. "No, Sasuke, we need to go back! We're not allowed to go far. We could lose our way or meet strangers!"

He pushed her away. "I was coming this way before you came. I'm going over. You can stay here if you want and wait,"

She shook her head violently. "Sasuke, I'll tell your mother!"

He flinched. The image of his mother's expression of deepest disapproval flashed through his mind intermittently. He shuddered at the thought. As much as he loved her she was not to be taken lightly. He could still remember the last time he misbehaved. She knew that her disappointment in him was worse than yelling.

Sasuke shuffled his feet. "Well… We could go together?"

Rin sighed. "I don't like this, Sasuke. Why can't we just back?"

He shook his head. "No! Rin, when am I going to get an opportunity like this again?"

His face was a perfect mask of horror and desperation. He was right. They were rarely allowed out of the city. The next opportunity for him to leave would be years away. She could remember her own impatience at his age. She begged and pleaded with her own father to no avail. She was six before she was allowed to the city gates and eleven before she was allowed beyond.

She frowned. "I don't suppose ten minutes would hurt…"

Sasuke beamed widely and his eyes lit up with exuberance. "Do you really mean it?"

She nodded reluctantly. "I suppose… You can't get into too much trouble with me here anyway. Where do you want to go?"

He spun around and points upwards. "I want to climb that mountain! Mother told me to pace myself though so today can we go up to that bit, please?"

She nodded again. He jumped up and down enthusiastically. The excitement and promise of adventure had made his forget about misbehaving. He clutched Rin's hands and dragged her up the mountain path. His feet were a blur against the dirt path and the clouds of dust he was creating. She yanked him back and he stumbled. His feet tangled and fell into a heap in front of her.

She groaned and knelt in front of him. "Sasuke, this is why we aren't allowed to leave in the first place. Calm down and maybe I'll make it fifteen minutes,"

He nodded slowly: pouting and feeling sorry for himself. "You're mean…"

She laughed, pulling him to his feet. "No, I'm your cousin. There's a difference. Maybe one day you'll learn it,"

He walked side by side with her reluctantly. His bottom lip was still protruding and his forehead was still deeply furrowed. However, his heart was beginning to race. Each step took him closer to the top of the slope. He'd never seen what was on the other side before. As the blue sky expanded his heart throbbed suddenly.

Sasuke stretched up onto his toes. His grip on Rin's hand tightened. His eyes grew wide as the fluttering crimson and orange leaves of the trees came into sight. They flourished across the mountain. The path he was on stretched into the distance, winding around corners and between trees. There was a ravine that had no visible end but he was too far to be sure. The other side was equally as red, orange and mystifying. There was a path on that side too but he could only see a small part of it. The trees had swallowed the view but that only excited him more.

He threw Rin's hand aside and ran up to the old bridge at the end of the path. There were vines beginning to creep along the rope railings. Some of the wooden boards were missing or broken. His hands trembled with excitement. There was nothing that he wanted more than to run free but he knew better than to disappoint his mother.

He turned around, eyes pleading. "Rin…"

She shook her head in disbelief and continued forwards. "I did say ten minutes, didn't I?"

To her surprise he didn't take the bait. He raced across the bridge: eyes scouring for weak planks and other hazards. He didn't care about haggling over the extra five minutes she said she would consider. The world needed to be explored and he would spend all the time that he could doing exactly that.

Sasuke skidded to a halt at the other side. A soft cloud of dust rose around his feet. It sprinkled across his bare ankles. A wide smile grew across his face. It was softer on this new side. He wriggled his toes experimentally. The unsettled dust drifted upwards before beginning another descent. It was no supernatural phenomena but the ground was uncharted and he had to know everything about it.

Rin's hand landed on his shoulder. She gestured to the path ahead. Impatience had made a wrinkle on her forehead. The urge to laugh at it struck Sasuke. He quaked lightly with the urge. She shook his shoulder forcefully and his glee faded.

She nodded. "Perhaps we should go back…"

A branch _clunk_ed next to Sasuke's foot. He looked ahead and found a monkey grinning from atop a high branch. His arms were waving from side to side tauntingly.

He scowled. "You… thing…"

The monkey leapt to his feet. He twirled around and stuck his rear end towards them. His arrogant face turned to them with a challenging glint in his eyes.

Rin pulled Sasuke back, her tone stern. "We should go back to the village now,"

Sasuke reluctantly retreated by a step or two. His eyes remained fixated on the strange creature that he had never seen before. The monkey, watching them, stuck out his tongue. His arms flew wildly in the air tauntingly.

Sasuke pulled away and snatched up a rock. "Stop doing that!"

The monkey only stuck its tongue out again. He turned around to showcase its rear end once more when the rock _clunk_ed against its head. The monkey cried out and fell forward. At the last second his tail snapped up and wound around the branch. He swung back and forth for a short while as the world began to settle into a still image.

The monkey chirped loudly in aggravation. He dropped down onto the ground and stomped over to them. His eyes were wide with fury and he was shrieking loudly.

Rin pulled Sasuke. "We have to go! _Now_!"

He ignored her again. The monkey's expression wasn't one of a creature that would easily be dissuaded. So Sasuke threw himself at the branch the monkey had thrown at him. He ripped it from the ground and swung it. At once the monkey shrieked even louder. He staggered back with his hands on his head. Its dark eyes glanced between them nervously before fleeing.

Rin scowled at Sasuke furiously. "What were you doing?"

His back still towards her, Sasuke smirked. His wide, excited eyes were fixed upon the branch. He did it! He kept them safe from the monster thing.

Rin struggled not to let her jaw drop in horror. "I'll tell your mother! Sasuke, listen to me!"

He was pressing ahead. The branch was clutched tightly in his hand. His body was flooded with adrenaline and excitement. The pounding of his ecstatic heart echoed loudly in his ears. What else would he meet? How else could he be a hero? The possibilities were endless and he couldn't stop his thoughts from becoming more and more extraordinary. His mind was full of beasts with beady eyes, horns on their faces, grotesque sounds, filthy blood covered mouths and the stupidity to charge into battle without hesitation.

He was swinging his branch recklessly from side to side when Rin hauled him back violently and shook him by the shoulders. "What are you doing? This is uncharted territory! We've already gotten into one battle! Why do you insist on getting us into another! I'm not throwing my life away for a stupid game and neither should you!"

He frowned and kicked at the ground ruefully. "I… I just don't want to go back yet… When am I going to get the chance to come here again? We'll be too young and then we'll be too old!"

She shakes her head adamantly. "With luck we'll never leave the city again! Come on, we're going back,"

Sasuke nodded but when she started on the journey back he slipped under her arm and ran. The old wooden boards of the second bridge creaked even more than the first. However, there were none that had splintered or broken in half, for which he was grateful. He raced onto the dirt track and up the tiny slope. Rin's furious cries were lost to his ears as he caught sight of another strange creature.

Sasuke veered to the right and crouched down between two large trees. The light pouring through the red and orange leaves stained the ground. He couldn't tell if it were by the light or not but the small, sleeping creature seemed to glow auburn.

Rin spun around to find him absorbed by his find. "Sasuke, that's not funny!"

He swatted at the air in a bid to make her silent. She refused to be quiet, however. Her voice grew shriller and shriller until he was surprised that the mountain hadn't tried to throw her off.

"And that," she shrieked. "That is why we need to go back! Do you hear me? Sasuke, I'm talking to you! I…"

Her arms, which had previously been flailing wildly, had come to rest by her sides. Her wide eyes were fixated on the small, curled up creature. Her jaw hung slightly agape and she seemed in awe of it.

She whispered, as though fearful of waking it. "What is it?"

"My pet,"

**Author's Note: The date this chapter was completed: 19.04.13. I like this really much. The game I adore beyond all rational reason. However, the genre isn't well-known or popular. I'm doing this to spread knowledge and love for the genre and for the game! Please, someone start Cosplaying them (I did, today, and it was so fun to make the outfit!)! Ah~ Shall I do this also for the sequel? Shall I do another re-telling for the third part which hasn't even been started yet? I would be honoured to, but I hope some people will like this one first.**

**Thank you for reading. I hope that you have enjoyed this chapter. I apologise if you are unsatisfied.**


	2. Chapter 2

Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín

Many years ago in the mountains that housed a hidden city there was a boy. The boy sought adventure and excitement. His cousin did not share his sentiments. She sought a life of comfort and safety for all. That day, her failure to tame him awoke fate. She was forced to walk her pre-determined path.

Her safety had gone.

我道歉

Rin stiffened. "_What_?"

Sasuke turned to her. "I said, 'my pet',"

She glowered at him. "No. You can't. I won't let you,"

He was close to stamping his foot. "Rin, please,"

The act of begging was below him. He had never had to do it before. He had no intention of doing so again. It made his stomach churn. Rin knew that. She knew how highly he was thought of. She had lived in the shadow of his family almost all of her life.

She shook her head.

Sasuke gaped. "But I said please!"

She shook her head again. "No is no. It could be like that thing before. It could be worse! We're going home now. Do you understand?"

He puffed his chest out. His head held high with indignation. He glowered at her challengingly before lunging at the poor creature.

"No!" shrieked a panicked Rin. "Sasuke, stop it! It'll kill us all!"

He exhaled sharply. His arms were star-fished, yet he had missed. The small creature was still curled around itself, dozing lightly. Up close, it looked harmless. Sasuke sat up, slightly surprised. There was nothing remotely threatening about it. It was puffy with fur and had a long, puffier tail, with a little strange head shaped like the top of a calabash bottle. Its mouth was too small to hold teeth like the first creature had.

Sasuke grinned and lifted it up victoriously. "Look, Rin! You worry over nothing!"

His joviality was lost on his cousin. Rin's jaw had almost hit the ground. She stammered and stuttered fiercely. Her legs shook violently. Slowly, she raised an accusing finger.

"_Stop_!" she cried.

Her warning came too late. The creature awoke to find itself upside down. A shrill squeal escaped and it tried to get away but succeeded only in swinging back and forth. It flicked its tail out, making a loud _thunk_ against his wrist. It didn't work so the creature turned to using its teeth.

Sasuke dropped it. "Ouch!"

The creature ran. Sasuke had to twist around to see it scurrying away. He looked down to his hand and found long tendrils of tail fur caught between his fingers. He grunted in annoyance and shook it off. Then, as fast as he could, he gave immediate chase. He saw nothing but the streak of glowing auburn, heard nothing but its tiny paws.

The creature fled up the path and all but tumbled down to the bottom on the other side. An alarmed squeak rang from it. Sasuke threw himself at it. Dust flew up and turned the air brown for a moment. When the colour returned he found the creature with its back against a wall. It was crouched forward, as though ready to snap.

Then, it curled up.

He grinned. "I got you!"

A huge shadow fell over him. He was suddenly consumed with the fear of never seeing light again. Slowly, hesitantly, he turned. A gargantuan beast with scraggy, matted brown knotted fur towered above him. It rumbled with the power of a restrained roar.

Sasuke, acting on instinct, dived forward. He snatched the auburn creature up in his arms and ducked. The terrible _wail_ of claws on the stone wall struck him to the bone. His ears rang and his sight was blurred. It took a long moment for him to regain his composure.

He scrambled to his feet and charged under its huge arm, whispering to the creature. "Okay… We're… Okay…"

He ran the way he had come: the creature dangling from his hand by its tail. He ran up and then back down the path. As he began the descend he started to wave his right hand frantically.

"Rin!" he cried. "Rin, I'm over here!"

She spun around. A look of happiness flourished across her face. She beamed brightly, almost weeping with relief. The next moment she was on her knees. Sasuke skidded to a halt in front of her. He dropped the creature as quickly as if it was alight. It landed with a loud _thud_ and rolled onto its back.

The beast roared. It prowled forward with huge paws that each had long, curved claws. Its open mouth was lined with razor sharp pointed teeth. Its eyes were deeply set into its skull and deepest black. Its muzzle wrinkled as it bared its teeth.

Sasuke staggered back slowly. "Rin…?"

She gave an almost inaudible response. "… No… Don't want to die… Sasuke, why did you… This…"

He dropped into a crouch. His hands groped along the ground frantically whilst he kept his eyes on the beast. A large, rotund stone brushed against the tips of his fingers. He stretched and drew it close enough to lift it up. It was heavy. He couldn't hold it with one hand. Slowly, he rose back to his feet and began swinging his hands back and forth. The momentum slowly grew until he couldn't afford to wait any longer.

It sailed to the ground without touching the beast in the slightest. Another roar rippled through the air. The beast lumbered forward arrogantly, but stood on the stone. With a great roar it crashed to the ground. Its open mouth crunched against the ground and promptly shut. An anguished groaning sound came from the beast.

Rin grasped his wrist and pushed him. "Go!"

He snatched the creature up again and ran. He waited until he was out of that beast's sight before diving behind a tree. His ragged, panting breathes stung his lungs. Then, just as he came close to catching his breath a wave of nausea struck him. He jerked forward. The ground raced to greet him. His eyes suddenly saw nothing.

Teeth closed about his hand.

He yelped loudly and staggered back. The world returned. The colours were vibrant and glowing. The air was cold and fresh. He stared at nothing for a long moment. Then, his eyes settled onto the creature. It stood and curled round into a semi-circle. It glanced at him disparagingly before turning to the very important task of licking its paws. However, in doing so, the creature soon found that it had lost something.

It squeaked and staggered drunkenly. Loud cry after loud cry streamed from it until it came to a sudden halt. Then it curled its tail around. The tip was rounded and white. The creature's little legs shook violently and it slumped to the ground. The beautiful, pointed tip of vibrant auburn was gone.

Sasuke slowly began to approach. His fingers twitched eagerly. A sly grin was spreading across his face. The small creature paid him no heed. The shock of losing its tail was too great. It whined piteously and turned its large, teary eyes to him. It chirped in utter dismay.

His arms fell back to his sides. The creature's wide eyes were staring into his own. No word passed but a deep understanding began to pass between the two. However, the creature took the opportunity and fled. Its glossy coat was made invisible amongst the sun speckled fallen leaves and dusty pathways. Sasuke sighed in dismay.

In his heart a deep yearning was slowly awakening: the desire to know its beauty and wisdom.

"Ah…" he frowned. "I should find Rin, shouldn't I?"

He turned to leave but a shrill chirp soon caught his attention. He looked up at a small bird fluttering overhead. It descended and he held out his arm. The bird landed and ruffled its feathers elegantly. It chirped again.

His eyes widened. "She is? I thought that mother… No, never mind,"

The bird tapped his arm and chirped a third time.

He shook his head. "Rin's fine. She's just resting. She's close. I'll come back with her, okay?"

It took off, drifting with the breeze at first. Afterwards, it rose steadily higher and higher into the endless blue of the sky. He took his chance to slip back to the sleeping beast.

"Sasuke," Rin stepped into view. "Where are you going? The city is in that direction."

He smiled. "I was worried about you. I thought that you might have gotten into trouble,"

She shook her head. "I'm older than you. My common sense has matured. Actually, I've got common sense. You haven't. Let's go back before you get us into any other kind of trouble,"

The walk back was made in utter silence. The disapproval and aggravation set so firmly on her face kept him on his best behaviour. He concentrated on what he would say to his mother: if she would listen to him. He looked down at his hands and arms. There were clear cuts and scratches. He felt tired and knew that he probably looked tired as well.

As they reached the entrance Rin glanced back. "Sasuke, go first,"

He halted. "What? Rin, I said you'd come back with me! I'll be in trouble!"

She frowned and her eyes were unusually distant as though the world she saw and the world he walked were different. "You'll be in even more trouble if I tell your mother that you almost got both of us killed. I said, go. Go!"

His feet were hesitant at first but her annoyance was clear. She didn't look to have the patience that she normally had. She didn't look to have the sanity that she normally had. He bolted towards the sharp rise of the mountain. Once there his hands groped through thick vines and tangled branches. The entrance revealed itself in time. He charged through the short tunnel.

He sighed, skidding to a stop. The vast city stood mostly on great mounds of earth that jutted up erratically and were accessible only by the wide bridges that criss-crossed. The waterfall thundered in the distance. The plaza stood out amongst the deep wood of the houses. The land it stood on was wide and round. On it stood a circular raised platform with a hastily crafted fence comprised of rope and wooden stumps. The edges were decorated by evenly spaced pillars with a lit torch at the very peak. Depending on where you stood the great statue could be seen with one hand raised, holding a burning blue flame to match the torches.

He grinned, widely before racing back. There were flowers around the hidden entrance. He knelt down and inspected them. They were his. All of them were his. The whole city was his. Rather, the whole city _would_ be his. He had a duty to ensure that every place, be it big or small, was to his exacting standards and that not even a single blade of grass was out of place.

In the city, in its warmth and enclosed by the walls of the mountain, he felt safe and even wondered why he had left in the first place.

"Oh?"

He jolted upright. There was someone approaching. She stopped a few feet away. Her right hand touched her sternum, her left hand swooped down and then up to her side as she leant forward in a bow.

"Sasuke," she spoke, her voice soft as the clouds that were conspicuously missing. "How are you? I haven't seen you all day. Have you eaten well? You look weary."

He grinned. "I went for a walk,"

She smiled. "Is that so? Was it fun?"

He nodded. "Yes, it was. The city is really, really big… There are a lot of places that I need to inspect,"

"Ah," her smile turned sly. "So you weren't allowed out yet? That's a pity. I thought that your mother would have let you after all this time."

He turned and stormed away a short distance. His arms folded firmly.

"It isn't your concern," he said unhappily.

The woman paused. "I'm sorry, I'll think before I speak next time. However, may I ask one question more?"

He stuck his chin out arrogantly. "What is it? I'm very busy, you know. I need to discuss matters with my mother,"

She nodded. "That is very well. Will one of those matters include the whereabouts of Rin?"

He stiffened.

"I trust that you are suitably occupied. I will leave first," she bowed again and departed swiftly.

When she was gone Sasuke chanced a glance at the entrance. Rin was still outside. He frowned and bit his lip. Had the beast awoken? Had it caught her? He wasn't allowed out again. If he told his mother what he had done he would be in a lot of trouble.

**Author's Note: Trust me to forget which day I was meant to be uploading this chapter. I've already gotten up to chapter six on **_**White Snake**_** and started chapter three of **_Little Fairy_**! I'm hopeless… Ah, but I suppose that it's done now. It's rather good. The next chapter is going to be really, really good! That's when he finds **_**it**_**. That's also when the city *whistles innocently*. If you know what I mean, tee hee!**

**Thank you for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín

Many years ago in the mountains that housed a hidden city there was a boy. The boy sought adventure and excitement. His cousin did not share his sentiments. She sought a life of comfort and safety for all. That day, her failure to tame him awoke fate. She was forced to walk her pre-determined path.

Her safety had gone.

我想你的

He slipped up the hill and over the bridge without attracting any attention. However, as he stepped on to the plaza he found one of two guards watching him. He strode over to the other side without hindrance. The moment that he stepped off of it the two guards came over. They bowed just as the woman had done but then they came closer. They stopped him from passing.

He glowered haughtily. "What are you doing?"

They shared an exasperated glance. Neither seemed willing to speak to him.

The one on the right spoke eventually. "You cannot pass,"

Sasuke's jaw almost dropped. "Why can't I?"

The second sighed. "You don't have permission,"

He clenched his fists. "What do you mean I don't have permission? Don't you know who I am? This village will be mine!"

The first shook his head. "Not yet. You need your mother's permission. We can't let you through otherwise, kid,"

Sasuke looked up. The great statue of Nǚ Wā loomed overhead. She stood proudly in her body of stone. Her long tail slithered out from the bottom of her dress to her right.

He folded his arms and puffed out his chest. "Izumo, Kotetsu, stand down. Let me through,"

Izumo scowled. "We already told you. No. Go home,"

Sasuke sucked in a deep breath. "In the light of the shadow the world is dreamt. One lives, one dies, none know the glory of governance. Where the dream is conjured soon follows the mud of the heart of the world. The mud made bones, made hearts, made minds. All that is, was once, now is, forever will be, the will of another, the fantasy of a dream. We look to the pillars holding aloft the vast sky of our forefathers. We look always to ourselves, the creations of the will of Goddess Nǚ Wā, and know the fate that holds us. Our peace is of the ages. Our wars are of the timeless years. The shadows that are cowered from, yearned for, gazed upon are all in time a grain of sand or a fortified will. The darkness beholds perseverance and the prosperity of an age that none of the mud shall know but their ancestors shall forever gaze upon in wonder. In life we are one, as in death, as in all that lies between,"

His dignity was forgotten as he heaved in sharp breaths. His chest burned with the extreme expulsion of air. His hands rested on his knees as he peered up. He hoped fervently that neither guessed that he had only overheard his mother speak it to his father when he was only in infanthood. His heart hammered at his chest. He hoped the words were true.

"Very well," Kotetsu responded reluctantly. "Come with us."

They turned and strode swiftly to Nǚ Wā's left. Sasuke took another gulp of much needed air before racing to catch up. They led him to where the shadows were ever present. A large door stood tall. Sasuke gaped at it. It was crafted of steel. A great crystal sat towards the top. It had been carved to an exact shape but he didn't recognise it.

"I can go from here," he said as confidently as he could. "You may return to your place. I need no escort."

Izumo shrugged. "You're entitled to wanting that. We're entitled to wanting to do as we were told,"

He turned. "I'll tell my mother,"

Kotetsu placed his hand on his partner's shoulder. "We should go back. What can he do anyway? He's too stubborn to be reasoned with,"

When they eventually turned away Sasuke stuck his tongue out. When they were out of sight he turned back to the door. A deep sigh cascaded from his lips. He folded his arms. His eyes grew worried.

"I'm sorry, Rin," he mumbled. "I can't tell mum what I did…. I can't do it…"

He looked at the door. There was no key. There was no handle. It was of a substance too heavy to be pushed. He took a nervous step forward. His right hand rose. For a moment he watched how he trembled. If Izumo and Kotetsu knew that he didn't know how to get in they would report him. He couldn't face the silence of his mother's disapproval.

He bit his lip. "I'm sorry,"

He threw himself at it in desperation. The crystal lit at the touch of his hand. The door thundered and grumbled as it moved away to the side.

* * *

"Oh?"

Rin smiled. There was discontent in the depths of her eyes. She nodded.

"I think… I think that I like it," she murmured. "Yes, I do. It's very good."

The leaves crunched. The sun quivered and light withered for a moment. The clouds were summoned as shields before it could settle to normality. Even the flowers and trees turned away.

Rin nodded. "All that is good shall wither too soon,"

The petals that she gazed upon faltered. The flower's face was turned to the soil.

"Rin," a commanding voice called. "Come to me."

* * *

Sasuke staggered. He clutched at his left arm. Blood streamed down it. It was the only warmth that he possessed and it was rapidly cooling. He made a whining sound in the back of his throat. There was a gash on his right leg.

_Thunk_

He whipped around. The darkness was almost impenetrable. The many creatures that lurked in the dimness prowled about with snapping jaws and lightning claws. A violent shiver shook down his spine. He clutched at his arms and hurried on. He was sure that whatever shadows the beasts stalked would be close enough to be tempted by his blood.

The ground grew swiftly rockier underfoot. He staggered and stumbled often. His arms shot out so frequently that his shoulders ached. He could only grit his teeth and move onwards. The snarls and growls became fainter and fainter. He beamed with deliriously insipid glee, yet he strode on faster and faster and faster.

"Ah!"

He tumbled to his knees. His wounds spurted sudden crimson. He groaned, rocking back onto his knees. His eyes turned upwards. The sky was invisible but he dreamt of the vivid blue and purest clouds. A great aching of his heart beat louder.

Then, there was a draft.

He shot up. His wide eyes darted wildly. He wandered to the wall that he had unwittingly stumbled into. His hands reached out. They felt along its rough surface and soon came across something that wasn't stone. He pressed against it and with a loud groan the doors opened. He took some tentative steps forward. A wooden contraption bound with ropes that came from high above hovered just above the ground, swaying lightly.

He peered up. A small ray of light came down. Sasuke put one foot on the wood. The whole structure lurched. He yelped, arms flailing out. His hands caught the ropes moments before they began moving. He leapt onto the platform and watched in amazement as it rose higher.

It took no more than a few minutes to reach the reach level. He stepped out onto stone. It felt safe and reassuring beneath his feet. He stared at the six torches - three on each side - that lit the pathway. He was standing in a small space that was carved like a room but without doors. He raced ahead, but not before checking for the presence of the platform.

It was still there.

The chamber beyond was enormous. He was standing on a thick stone path over a cavernous drop. A great statue stood in the middle, stretching up to the almost invisible ceiling and to the ground far below. There were small bowls hanging from above by thin ropes where fires blazed. The stone looked to have cracks where light filtered in and to his right there was a carving of what seemed to be a beast's head. It was squat but long. Its mouth took most of its length and great rows of teeth filled its aggressive maw.

"What is this place?" he gaped. "It's… It's…"

As he looked closer he noted how the statue in the middle mimicked a sword. He noticed also great, thick chains that each came from one corner of the room that spread towards the stone sword. He took a step closer and the world swayed viciously. He glanced down. He was standing on a short wooden bridge. His gaze returned upwards. The statue was still ahead of him.

The light seemed to dance, he noticed. As he peered at the cracks in the wall he realised that he had been wrong again. There weren't any holes in the stone. They were symbols that glowed pale blue. He shivered: cold with fear. Sasuke retreated when his eyes were drawn to the statue of the beast's head once again.

There, he noticed something else. It was huge and looked less than friendly.

**Author's Note: I, perhaps, had wanted to use the actual translation. Unfortunately, my knowledge of the language is terribly little. I could do little but notice the word 'one' and I may have heard mention of **Nǚ Wā**. I made it up! I'm quite happy with it. I think it's a fun game too. Can you say all of that in one breath really fast without making a mistake? I can't.**

**There is a reason why this chapter is shorter. It's a really good one, I promise. You'll have to stick around to understand why.**


	4. Chapter 4

Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín

In the vastness of the crumbling world there was a man and a sword. He spoke little and knew no smile. He was burdened with the will of a higher power and the actions of the past that lay beyond his reach and redemption. A pain was set upon him on the nights of the waning moon that no word or reason would diminish.

He was bound to the last by a fate unwanted.

別煩我

The hard, arid ground crunched beneath his boots. It crumbled with every step that he took. The dust and dirt rolled down the short hill ahead of him.

_!_

He halted. The flutter of wings overhead went ignored. The crunch of claws rose. The scent of rotting flesh and death strengthened. He slowly cast a glance over his shoulder. The two wolves were drooling. Their fur was sagging, unable to cling to their bones. They bared the brown and blackened stumps that once were their fangs.

He raised a lazy hand up to his right shoulder. His fingers slid with ease about the hilt. The hilt protruded over his shoulder and the blade jutted out a short distance by his left leg. It came free in silence despite its length of three and half metres. He swung it without hardship. They were both reduced to food for the ever darkening earth in an instant. He was adept even at the tender age of seventeen.

He turned back to continue his journey. His wrist snapped in a circle and the blood dripped from his blade. He re-sheathed it as though it was new, yet to be used. The familiar sound of arid earth crunching beneath his footfalls resumed. It alone sounded in the silence of that land where death was emperor to all within.

The great doors to the wooden fortress on his right exploded open. Two guards stumbled and staggered out, their arms out-stretched and mouths agape in shrill shrieks. They ran too closely and tripped on one another. Both went sprawling to the ground with arms and legs star-fished. He didn't so much glance at them though they fell directly in his path.

They groaned and grumbled as they fought to sit up. Their tunics were dirty and smeared with blood. Their hands were stiff. The bones cracked with even the slightest of movement. Their heads spurted blood down into their eyes and mouths. They spat it out and wiped at their faces with hands that were blackened by filth.

"Oh!" the first exclaimed, spying him. "Who are you? What are you doing at my Lord's fortress? This land is for the soldiers of my Lord's army only."

He gave no response. His expression was untouched by the man's words, choosing to remain in a permanent scowl.

The second staggered to his feet and thrust out his spear threateningly. "Tell us your name! No one may pass without permission!"

He stopped and his voice was no more expressive than his face. "I need no permission,"

The first leapt to his feet with a growl. His companion grabbed at his arms and held him back.

The second spoke, wheezing. "My name is Otokaze. My companion is Mukade. Who are you?"

He looked away disdainfully. "Sasuke,"

Otokaze spoke again. "Why have you come here? This land is for the dead. You can see that the fortress is lost. There were hundreds of men, hundreds… Now, Mukade and I remain,"

He smirked to the black sky. "Good,"

He pushed past them. Their hands shot out and twisted about the fabric of his coat. Sasuke halted, eyes closing and breathing deeply as his anger flared. He was tempted to reach for his sword when the far cry of his companion reached him. He raised his head. His dark eyes stared out solemnity at the landscape of death and decay.

"Release me," he spoke lowly.

They heard him and looked up. Their hands came away at once. Otokaze was the first to his knees. Mukade followed only a moment later. The covered their heads and buried their faces in the fetid earth. An unearthly moan shivered through all who were present. Even the bird took to a higher flight.

"So," Sasuke murmured. "it was true."

From between the trees a corpse staggered forward. Its dusty pallor of mould green was made sickly by the whiteness of death. It threw its head back, exposing the gaping hole in its right cheek. The teeth were gnarled, crumbling and as black as a starless night. What remained of its hands suddenly shot out and tore at the rags of what used to be its tunic. A ghastly shriek poured from its crushed throat.

Sasuke waited until it was closer. It moved slowly. Each footfall was erratic. It crashed into trees and over fallen branches. A short eternity was comprised solely of its struggle back onto its feet. However, it eventually made it towards him. He drew the sword at that moment. It swung cleanly and the head was swiftly removed. An expert pivot of his wrist brought the sword down on the centre of the throat to the newly tainted earth.

He spun the sword in a lazy circle. Not all of the remains fell away. He sheathed it regardless and began towards the fortress once more. He made it no more than three paces before another shriek, one so shrill and far reaching, that the skeletons of trees quivered, some falling to heaps of ash and many of the wooden pillars that comprised the fortress wall crumpled. Otokaze and Mukade clung to him tightly.

"Let us go from here," Otokaze urged. "This is a land lost. All others have perished. We are all that remain of our Lord's army. Not even our Lord remains to stand by us or to flee from us. I beg you, warrior, take us from here."

Mukade nodded. "We will be indebted to you. Our lives may be forfeit to your whim,"

He shrugged them off and strode onto the fortress grounds. There, he reached back and drew the large doors shut. He snatched up a long plank of wood. It barred the entry way with ease. As he turned he realised that it wasn't truly a fortress. The tall pillars rose above him on either side so that only the sky that was immediately above him was visible.

He snorted derisively. All that the path before him possessed was the ruins of possessions and a path that roved up a hill so that the end was invisible to his eyes. He followed it, ignoring the shrill cries of Otokaze and Mukade. As he came closer to the uppermost point on the pathway he heard a wail. It was inhumanly terrible. He stopped, eyes flickering about. There was no trace of immediate danger and the sound didn't seem too close.

He took careful steps backwards before he dared to glance the way he had come. There were no presences. It was desolate and deserted but the shrieks and screams of the two that he had left behind were continuing still. He glanced forward. His ears strained and caught the approach of many. His eyes hardened and his jaw clenched. He swung the sword from its sheath and began a slow and wary approach.

Another creature, like the one that had approached outside the fortress, breached the uppermost point in the path first. It wailed, arms flailing from side to side. Its feet were slow to move and clumsy. It began to tumble almost at once. Sasuke's sword was waiting. He cleaved the thing in half with a simple flick of the blade.

The others began to groan and wail. Their feet grew clumsier and every footfall became louder. Sasuke's eyes darted upwards. He was yet to be alarmed but his senses were adjusting as required. They were yet to overcome the peak. He dashed ahead. It would do him good to be above his enemies. However, the creatures matched his timing.

He sliced through two at once before spinning and breaking through three. The sword was instantly upon those on his right as they were when he had first arrived. He growled deep in the back of his throat. There were hundreds of them all stumbling along the narrow passageway. They didn't possess much strength but their numbers were worrying.

He snarled and lunged into their midst. The slash and turn of his sword was faster. As hard as they tried they couldn't wound him. Their numbers fell fast but soon he jolted back. A hand brushed his back and he spun, his sword extended, carving out an area of safety. He had begun to feel confident, perhaps even complacent. A raw, untameable wrath exploded within him. He knew better than to feel that way. He knew better than to be distracted from what he was meant to do.

_Sasuke!_

He thrust his sword into one of them. It fell limp at once. It was her voice that haunted his mind. It was _her_: the one he left behind out of fear for himself. He snarled and turned to those that remained. However, the sword was content where it was. He turned and felt the panic rise. The sword had been thrust with too great a force. It was embedded in the giant pillars of wood. His eyes widened.

Bloodied, maimed hands with powerless fingers clutched at his arm. He turned and kicked it in the stomach. For an instant, the tiniest of moments, there burst life in those dead eyes. Then the creature was on the ground as its peers trampled over its corpse. Sasuke snarled and ducked low to the ground. His left hand grazed the dusty ground.

For those who relentlessly approached he used his legs as best as he could. They fell and were trampled. More fell and more were trampled. So it continued until there was a notable difference in height. Even if he were standing they would still be above him by enough to have a slight advantage. He dashed his hand across the ground and lurched upwards, towards them. His right arm was wrapped firmly across his chest, clutching the hilt of his sword. He couldn't leave it behind.

His shoulder crunched uncomfortably. The blinding pain stole away his sight. The sounds of the world were abandoned far away. When they returned one held his fist. He snatched his hand back and kicked at it. Then, the pebbles that he had gathered were flung at them. The wails grew louder as more staggered more wildly than usual. He grunted, pushing down all of his weight on the sword. It snapped the wood.

He charged into the horde.

…

The corpses, now fully dead, lay slain at his feet. The earth was dyed a sickly, ghastly shade. The air was rife with death and decay. He panted harshly. His chest ached with a dull fire that refused to be extinguished. As he stared down at the corpses the memory of that fateful day exploded to vivid life.

Rin's face flashed across his eyes. The sound of her laughter rang in his ears. She had been so stern with him that day. It was the first time that she hadn't been foolishly lenient. He should have obeyed.

Next there came the face of his dear, beloved mother. Her smile was the kindest of all of the world's smiles. Her voice whispered in the air about him; echoing her love for him; her proud motherly affections and most of all that defiant anger when she had stood before him. She hadn't wanted him to leave.

Sasuke kneeled by the closest corpse. He raised his right hand to hover above its forehead. His eyes drifted closed and the world could have been laid to waste and he wouldn't have known. He murmured the words that were trapped in his memory. All the while he questioned what plague could have been so devastating.

When he stood he heard the far cry of his companion. It sounded urgent, anxious even. He turned to continue on his way and the echo of distant voices rose about his departure.

**Author's Note: I shouldn't say it but I almost feel as though this is a chapter wasted. Well, not truly. I like that there is this great conflict – if you look closely you can detect how great a conflict he has within himself – and it is good to get away from the plain stuff of before. However, the video that I refer to wouldn't load. Therefore the last few hundred words were simply paving the path for the next chapter. Again, I have not the ability to translate the actual words and I doubt I would understand anything really even if I did have some skill in that. However, I do believe that we should see Naruto and Orochimaru and some random others that I don't believe to be of consequence. I'm going to have to do a lot with Naruto. I hope that you can forgive me for that.**

**Thank you for reading the chapter. I do hope that you have enjoyed what is given.**


	5. Chapter 5

Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín

In the vastness of the crumbling world there was a man and a sword. He spoke little and knew no smile. He was burdened with the will of a higher power and the actions of the past that lay beyond his reach and redemption. A pain was set upon him on the nights of the waning moon that no word or reason would diminish.

He was bound to the last by a fate unwanted.

我是誰

The cries of his feathered friend led Sasuke to the other side of the fortress. He paused as the towering pillars of wood funnelled out to a clearing. His hand tightened about the hilt of his sword and he winced. His palm bled lightly. A gash stretched from one side to the other. The wood of the hilt made it burn. He ignored the pain. His journey had been one of hardship and he had no intention of demeaning his triumphs.

Those creatures filled the fortress. They had crowded towards him the more that he bled. Their hands had sliced through his flesh. Their gaping mouths had tried to devour him. His legs ached, as did his arms. His head hurt and he was beginning to experience a divide in his once clear vision. He groaned quietly and moved further forward.

The passageway wasn't long and it led to a small circular area. The mountain that helped to encircle it possessed a great gaping hole. There was a wooden structure about the entrance that gave it the appearance of a mine. His curiosity was roused. There had been little evidence of a mine in the fortress. It could well be enough to turn the tides of his fortune.

A crouched figure lumbered along, arms swinging limply by its side. Its skin was a dark, mouldy green and an eye patch was stuck firmly over its left eye. A sword with a long blade was hung by on a worn belt. Sasuke retreated swiftly back. However, he soon realised that the creature was turning in his direction and the passage was too long to avoid detection. He slipped away to his right, behind a tree.

A moment later another creature came from the passage that he had almost taken. It, like the first, assumed a humanoid form, but its skin was bronze. A tail protruded from its lower back. This one was also in possession of a weapon: a sword. It was grand in both size and length. The hilt appeared to be forged of a heavy metal.

Sasuke crept further to his right. His hands remained firmly against the tree. He dared not raise his foot above the ground for fear of catching on some stray root or fallen branch. When he was out of sight he closed his eyes and lowered the intake of his lungs. He strained to hear them but they spoke with strange voices and stranger accents.

Soon, however, he began to grow accustomed to their strange speech. There were mentions of seasons, of prey and of hunting. A plague, Sasuke thought, had once been hinted at. His lack of understanding, however, hampered all hope of ever truly knowing. A tightening knot in his stomach turned his expression grim. His instincts were on edge.

Sasuke closed his eyes, his brow furrowing in annoyance. He brought his hands to his lips, wary of any and all infection that could be spread. He exhaled, long and slow. There was no sharp whistle to echo. The sound was barely intelligible. Neither of the strange creatures was alerted by it.

Above, Shō_*_ cried. In the space of an instant he had spun. His wings out-stretched he dived towards the two. His razor sharp talons were extended. They tore away at the flesh on the bronze being's head. He roared in agony, hands shooting out to clutch at it. They were covered with vile filth: some of which appeared very like dried blood.

"What's wrong?" the first, in a high crackling voice wheezed. "Stand up. Stand up! How else will we defend what is ours?"

The second snarled in his low, gruff voice. "It was something small… It was… Look for your health, _comrade_… I am not defeated…"

"Not yet," Sasuke spoke lowly.

He took great joy from the sudden shock of their expressions. He took greater joy still in the removal of his blade. A distinct yearning was twisting his stomach, squeezing his lungs. He smirked at them and their shock swiftly waned. Their eyes darkened. Their weapons were drawn. It only served to spark that strange desire within Sasuke. When they charged he was only too willing to oblige.

With all the speed that he could muster he shot past them. A careful swing, twist and turn of his blade severed flesh from bone. Blood splattered noisily all about the two unconscious beings. The edges of the deep crimson washed up to his heels. Sasuke's smirk widened. A frenzied expression was blossoming in his wide, crazed eyes.

Shō screamed.

His head whipped around. The bird was perched rather comfortably above the entrance. The expression faded fast. His senses returned at such a dizzying rate that his knees buckled. His right hand shot to his face. His forehead wrinkled deeply and a low groan rumbled in the back of his throat. He nodded wearily and began a slow approach. No heed was paid to his two unconscious enemies.

"Thank you…" he gasped as he came to enter. "but stay out here, Shō. Stay."

He didn't watch for Shō's response. The almost utter darkness of the supposed mine soothed his aches. He didn't know where they originated from. He didn't understand why they came upon him. All he understood was that the waning moon had long since passed and it was not yet due for a good while yet. However, the darkness proved to be no ally of his.

There, in its domain, he soon found that his aches were not simply retreating to their origin for another time. There was no sound, true or not – not even the sound of his breath. He slowed then and stretched his arms out. There were no walls within his reach. There was no unevenness in the ground.

He spoke as quietly as he could. "Shō,"

He barely heard the ghost of a whisper. In a cave he had expected far, far more. Sasuke straightened up but the flicker of a distant light exploded through the dimness. He hurried forward and found that there was more irregularity to the ground as he went. He pressed on faster. The light grew and grew until he saw it to be a blue flame atop a metal floor lamp.

There, he paused. His stern gaze fell systematically across the large space. There were two other floor lamps. Both were of the same strange blue flame. However, there was the slightest hint of purple within their sparking depths. The room was long and the end was swathed in shadows. He approached a large metal gate by the first floor lamp. He knew just by looking at it that he would have no success in attempting to bypass it. The rock wall protruded outwards by the gate that dripped a strange liquid. He made sure to wipe his coat before continuing into the darkness again.

That darkness didn't last as long. When he stepped into the light once more it was from more blue flames. However, there were many stalagmites wrapped by something thin and long. He saw neither the beginning nor the end, but only that they glimmered and pulsed with a glorious yet terrible light. He approached slowly. The pulsing light reflected brilliantly in his dark eyes. His hand reached out.

"…"

Sasuke stopped. The sound of breathing came from up ahead. His hand went to the hilt of his sword. He advanced carefully, making not even the slightest of sounds and there, standing tall before him, were more bars. This time, though, there were prisoners – human prisoners. He simply tightened his grip but took less care in masking his approach.

"We're going to die here… They'll slit our throats when they return… We can't escape… We won't escape…" a man in purple muttered to himself repeatedly. His head was buried between his knees and his hands tore at his hair. "They'll kill us… They will, they will… We've no chance… We'll all die…"

Sasuke came to a stop, scuffing his boots along the ground. Still no one glanced up. He looked them over. There were six. The man in the purple was huddled against the wall to the left. A short distance from him sat a young man with spiky blond hair and appalling orange clothes. He tapped his feet against the ground and clenched and unclenched his fists. He wore an angry expression.

The next person had his head down but he wasn't resigned or sad. His expression wasn't one that revealed anything but careful calculation. He wore long robes of deep, dark grey and pale violet with long, wide sleeves. His obsidian hair tumbled down to his waist in a very loose ponytail. Though little could be seen of his face his skin was notably crystal white.

An old woman sat by his side in robes that were dusty and grey. Her hair was tied back from her weary face. There was profound sorrow and wisdom in her face. Her eyes sparkled still with life. It was of hope, however, not hope to be saved from the heatless prison. The two men at the far side were solemn and retained dignity. Their clothes were vibrant emerald and coral blue. Like the pale man they sat with their legs crossed. All three seemed to be men of wealth and fortune.

Sasuke frowned. "Who are you?"

The man in purple leaped to his feet. "Are you one of them? Don't kill me! The old hag is about gone!"

The man in coral blue scowled. "Don't be so stupid! Sir, young sir, I apologise for the idiocy of my companion. He does not speak for us all. Please, come closer. We have little now but if you save us your reward shall be great,"

Sasuke looked over them once more. The man in purple was slowly slumping back to the ground. He had turned as white as snow with fright. His strength looked to be almost gone.

"You…" the pale man murmured, almost amused. "You would not empty your pockets for anything less than double your wealth and the world at your feet. You would impart nothing to this young man."

They scowled at him, cursing below their breaths. The elderly woman seemed to liven at that. She shot them both a fierce glare and looked, for a moment, as though she would rise and slap them both. She only barely managed to stop herself. A shy glance was made towards the pale man who had nonchalantly seemed to doom them all.

Sasuke went to speak but the blond beat him to it. "What are you trying to do? We need to escape from this place! How are we going to succeed if you dissuade him? My father has money, have you forgotten? I'll pay him! I'll even pay you if it keeps you quiet!"

The woman shot the young man a glare. It was fiercer than the first. The pale man merely laughed lowly to himself.

"I understand," he said quietly. "However, if this man is to save our lives he should do so knowing what people we are, so as not to regret his choice. It would be unfair to promise a treasure and abandon our word."

The blond crashed his fists to the ground. "No! _We_ wouldn't be going back on our word! They would,"

The man shook his head. "He said 'if you save us your reward shall be great'. He meant for us all to promise payment,"

The man in blue hissed, seething. He was oblivious to the elderly woman changing the position with which she sat. Her eyes didn't stray from him for even the briefest of moments.

Sasuke spoke, his curiosity aroused. "Those are wise words. Who are you?"

The pale man smiled. "My name is Orochimaru,"

**Author's Note: Yes! I had such a trouble doing this! I had to rush it all in the last hour or so… Oh, that was a worry… However, as you will probably not have noticed, yes, there are major differences. However, I chose Naruto as he would be opposite '**_**her**_**' and I like them as a couple and she suits her role. It would be impossible for Naruto to be a Buddhist and I know that. However, as I said, it is more for the sake of practicality than anything else. Besides, how can I have a long chapter fan fiction in this category without him? I can't.**

**Can we play now? I want to play! Guess who the old lady is! Guess who the fox will be! Guess what the original is even if you have no idea!**

**Thank you for reading my story. I hope that you have enjoyed this as much as I have!**

_*Ā Xiáng - Kuma Shō. The bird's name was given in pīnyīn without the tones. I was unable to locate a source which gives the Chinese characters. However, considering that it is a bird I thought that those were the tones that fit best. I then translated it into Japanese with Google. If either is wrong I apologise sincerely._


	6. Chapter 6

Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín

In the vastness of the crumbling world there was a man and a sword. He spoke little and knew no smile. He was burdened with the will of a higher power and the actions of the past that lay beyond his reach and redemption. A pain was set upon him on the nights of the waning moon that no word or reason would diminish.

He was bound to the last by a fate unwanted.

我能相信你嗎？

"Orochimaru, be quiet!" the blond ruffled his hair. "You, are you going to save us or not?"

Sasuke turned to the blond, amused. He said nothing but there was a spark in his eye.

The blond clenched his fists. "It's fine if you don't… Those things… I can understand…"

Sasuke stepped back. "Why do you think I'm here?"

The man in coral shot forward. "That… That's great! Thank you, thank you! You are truly a blessing to us! I will pay you, I swear, sir. Listen not to them,"

The woman moved again. Her hands were curling into claws. She looked distinctly well despite the circumstances.

"Keep your money," Sasuke said, contempt lacing through his voice. "I don't want it."

The man in purple spoke before the others could. "Young sir, if you aren't here to kill us I would suggest that you depart. There is only one fate for those of us here. If money has been offered for our safety then let it be. Your life is worth more and these bars are not broken by common swords. They are of the netherworld and all of its fiends,"

The man in emerald stepped forward. "My companion is correct. As greatly as I wish it differently, it must be so. Believe me, boy, this is a place that you could not rescue us from. The moment of your arrival clouded our minds,"

He bowed lowly. His eyes had hardened as his fate came into his acceptance.

"It's fine," Sasuke replied.

The blond clenched his fists. "I'm letting you go! All of us are! Why are you being ungrateful?"

He responded simply. "My decision is made,"

"You-"

Orochimaru's hand shot out and grasped the blond's shoulder. "He is offering to save our lives, Naruto. This is no time to be ungrateful. I am sure that our saviour understands how dangerous this task must be. He would turn away if he wanted to,"

Naruto took a reluctant step back and glared over at Sasuke. "I won't accept your death. Your life is not something to be wasted no matter what the future holds. If you can't do something then go. We won't expect you to come back,"

The man in emerald slapped his hand over the mouth of the man in blue. He gave a solemn jerk of his head.

Sasuke smirked. "You should,"

Naruto ground his teeth.

"If you are so insistent you should realise that more shall be required than simply determination," said the gravelly, rasping, ancient voice of the woman. "If you are in possession of sufficient time there would be great honour in telling."

He looked at her strangely. She was older now that she was standing. He saw the wrinkles that littered her pale face. Her lips were shrunken and had almost entirely vanished. Her eyes were returning to the interior of her skull. She was stooped over. Orochimaru supported her. It seemed unlikely that she would be able to stand on her lonesome.

The rage that Sasuke had witnessed earlier was greater than the rage possessed by young fools in the prime of their lives. He almost considered it to be able to rival his own. It was something that he loathed to admit. He frowned solemnly. She had so great a strength in her anger. It was the strength of a beast. He didn't trust her.

He looked her in the eye. "Speak if you words,"

She nodded solemnly but Orochimaru interjected. "I recall what I saw when I was brought to this place. It does not bode well for you, young man. There are many who would endanger you. I saw not where they came from or where they went to. I only knew that there is uniformity to their actions,"

The man in emerald shuddered. "There are wolves. I suspect that they exist to cause further peril. You might not think of a wolf as too great a threat. They are. There were no alliances between the guards and them. If they are enraged then all shall perish,"

Naruto glanced at his companions. There was a tone behind their words. It made him tense.

Sasuke retreated by a step. "Don't worry,"

"Wait!" the man in purple leaped forward, crying shrilly. "Sir, young sir, please wait! You must listen to us! These are no ordinary beasts! You cannot so easily slay them!"

Sasuke continued to depart at his leisurely pace. He didn't turn even in the slightest. There was no interest.

"Let him go," Naruto frowned. "I think… I think we should trust him. He has to have been told something."

"That may not necessarily be true," Orochimaru mused. "He may have been told to retrieve us. That does not necessarily specify that he was told what perils permeate this place. He may not even be here for our sake."

The woman smiled politely at Naruto. "That is a man of his own mind. He will understand enough. There is no need for you to grow frustrated,"

He sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I hate this… He could _die_. Idiot,"

* * *

A celebratory shriek and flap of wings came from Shō. The red string about his wide neck trembled against his thick white feathers. Sasuke spared him a curt inclination of his head.

"Help us!" came two shrill voices. "Save us! Help us!"

Otokaze and Mukade raced into sight. Their swords clattered at their sides noisily. Their feet fell clumsily in front of the other as they struggled to remain standing.

Mukade was the first to catch sight of Sasuke. "You!"

He stumbled. A great cloud of dust exploded where he collapsed. The shimmer from his polished sheath was obscured entirely. Otokaze ran on without a backwards glance, knowing fully well what had happened.

"Why did you lock us outside of the fortress?" Mukade exclaimed as he struggled back to his feet. "We begged you for help! You knew that those things would kill us! Why?"

Sasuke didn't respond. His eyes were fixed on the dark shadows behind them. The air was rife with low, rumbling snarls. Neither of the inept guards noticed.

" Ah!" Mukade flung himself forward. "Please, save us!"

Otokaze joined him. "Please, please! We'll be indebted to you!"

Sasuke glanced over his shoulder. The two that he had fought earlier were laying dead at the entryway of the former mine. He pushed past the quailing guards. The pressure of the sword against his back became suddenly more noticeable.

The two that snarled and growled were the exact mirror images of the two beasts that he had killed before. Their voices matched. Their attire was exact, even in the way that the fabric fell in rags and in the tears throughout.

The one with mouldy green skin charged, the sword waving about high in the air. A vociferous roar sent chills through the air. Sasuke stepped forward, drawing his sword. He ducked low and spun, his left leg shooting out to trip his opponent. The bright edge of his sword flashed brilliantly a moment before crashing through its chest. The creature stumbled back. Sasuke's sword sliced upwards, parting its head from the remaining half of its neck.

He darted back, his arms out as the other one attacked. It missed – only just. In an instant the assault resumed. Sasuke swung his sword down on its left and immediately up on its right. There was only a shallow wound to show for his efforts. It snarled, lunging at him. Its sword came down towards Sasuke's left. He thrust his sword out to block the blow and was forced to turn as it was brought to the ground. A quick flick of its tail sent him sprawling to the ground.

It didn't spare a second. The long blade shot towards him. Sasuke, with little choice and little time, grasped it with his free hand. His other slashed at the tail. Blood spurted violently. It _thunk_ed to the ground in a heaping chunk of dark flesh. The thing screeched, throwing its head from side to side. Sasuke took the opportunity to stab it through the chest. It wavered, stumbling back but the fire was still burning fiercely in its eyes.

Sasuke pushed it back with all the strength that he possessed. He glared and turned his sword over in his hand. He didn't look at all worried. There were no wounds to be seen on him, but his arm was aching. A deep pain throbbed down it every second and back up the next. His shoulder was screaming and slightly worked out of place. It served only to bring his violent anger to the fore.

It lunged at him. The stump it had for a tail swung helplessly. Sasuke leaped to the side. The sword barely managed to miss him. He brought his sword down atop it so that it was forced to the ground. Another roared followed and Sasuke kicked it with all the strength that he could muster. It staggered for a moment. That was when the sword penetrated deep into its shoulder and down to its hip in a wide arc.

It fell dead at his feet.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" Otokaze exclaimed.

"Yes, young sir," Mukade bowed. "Thank you. We're indebted to you. Our lives are yours to-"

Sasuke thrust his sword towards them. "What are you doing here? Why did you come here?"

They trembled.

"We… We were going to be attacked… We ran and ran… There was a hole in the walls… We snuck in and they… Those things found us! They tried to kill us!"

He looked them over. It was clear that he didn't believe them. The sword came closer to them.

"What is this place?" he demanded. "What are those things?"

They exchanged frightened, timorous glances. "We don't know! They came from nowhere! They destroyed the fortress! That's all we know!"

He thrust the sword forward and flicked his wrist. It shot towards Mukade and then to Otokaze. He draw it back without injuring either of them. A shrill whistle passed over his lips. He walked away with Shō obediently at his side.

When he was out of sight the two inept guards rose.

Otokaze glared. "I told you that would work,"

Mukade snapped quietly. "Ssh! You think he trusts us? He could be listening! That stupid bird could be relaying messages to him,"

Otokaze looked in the direction that he went. "More might come this way…"

His companion nodded. "We should get going then,"

They darted along by the tall walls. Their feet glided over the ground with little sound. A profound nervousness began to infect their senses. Their eyes darted and they stooped over. Shiver after shiver ran down their backs.

**Author's Note: Darn! I'm out of time! The deadline! I'm sorry, I'll explain things in greater detail next time! I'm sorry this is shorter!**


	7. Chapter 7

Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín

In the vastness of the crumbling world there was a man and a sword. He spoke little and knew no smile. He was burdened with the will of a higher power and the actions of the past that lay beyond his reach and redemption. A pain was set upon him on the nights of the waning moon that no word or reason would diminish.

He was bound to the last by a fate unwanted.

你是我的敵人

The final yelp of the wolves withered away to nothing. They slumped, one atop the other, to the dusty, bloody ground. Sasuke flicked his wrist and the blood came away from his blade. He raised it high as though to sheath it. However, at the last moment, he swung it around. The shrill wail of his pursuers tainted the fouled air.

"What," he asked lowly. "is it that you want?"

He glared over his shoulder. They were already on their knees: their swords held in front of them. The dust coated sheaths made him frown. There was clearly little respect for them.

"Please," they begged in unison. "Let us go with you. This place is dangerous. Let us go with you."

He turned and began to walk away at once. However, without a firm order to leave, Mukade and Otokaze stumbled to their feet. They followed him, hands and legs shaking violently. The passage led them straight on for a long time. Sasuke, who was skilled enough to note their presence, still said nothing about their presence. However, when there was a split in the passage the uneasy alliance came to a halt.

Otokaze clutched at Sasuke's coat. "Please, young sir, not that way. I don't doubt your skills, but to go that way would be to die!"

He turned slowly. "Why?"

Mukade clutched at his sheathed sword. "That is a road that leads to death. Please, we should go anywhere but there,"

The two shared a strange look. They were as willing to go through with their scheme as they were to never think of it again. The decision wasn't one that could be made twice.

"Why?"

They looked at him pleadingly. Otokaze released Sasuke's coat and staggered back. Mukade was already bowing deeply. The swords were rattling loudly.

Mukade forced himself to speak. "We were attacked one late night. No one saw who it was. We thought it was a rival warlord! It wasn't… We weren't prepared for anything like that… They took the dead. They took the living. We don't know where they went, not exactly. It was somewhere deep in the fortress,"

Sasuke glanced over to his right. "They were taken deep into the fortress?"

Otokaze nodded. "Yes! They were taken to where the fortifications were strongest: to where they would be hardest to retrieve!"

He glowered at them. "You left your comrades,"

Mukade dropped to his knees, hands clasped. "I'm sorry! We did! We did! We left them to die!"

Otokaze fell to his knees also. His hands _thudd_ed to the ground. There were soft splashing sounds that came from them both. Sasuke let them cry. A dark satisfaction burned in the depths of his gaze.

After a minute he spoke. "I'm not filth,"

He vanished down the right passage almost at once. The loss of the sounds of the low grinding of loose dirt and grit followed soon after. Mukade and Otokaze were left on their knees. Their feigned sobs had become real. The decision had been made for them. Neither of them wanted to go after him. They looked over to the left. The passage looked perilous.

"Wait for us!"

When they came running out at the other end they found the vast, circular opening to be utterly devoid of life. Out of fright they stumbled and went crashing to the ground. Mukade's sword flew out of his hand. It spun in slow circles and came to a final halt quite a distance away. He whined pitifully.

"Is this the centre of your fortress?" Sasuke growled.

They looked up. Their eyes were the homes of distress. They scrambled away from one another, inching back on their hands. Incoherent words fell over their trembling lips.

Sasuke looked up. "I see a desert beyond that wall. I can see a mountain to the right. What centre is this?"

No word was uttered. They grovelled and inched slowly farther from him. Sasuke wandered past them. There were two houses that remained in a reasonable condition. The one to his right, pressed firmly to the wall, looked almost untouched. If not for the dust and dirt that clung to its multi-faceted walls he would have expected it to be lived in.

He paused.

"Go the other way," Mukade commanded, his voice quivering. "I don't care about what you want. You're coming with us. You'll let us leave this place."

He half turned around. The sword was almost pressed against his shoulder. His dark eyes burned.

He spoke lowly. "What if I don't?"

Mukade hands almost slipped. "You'll die, of course,"

"Kill me now," he responded. "I won't aid you."

There was a flicker of fear in Mukade's eyes. That was enough. Sasuke pivoted on his heel, starting towards the great doors of the building. When he came before their greatness his hand clutched at a ring which hung from the door. He hauled it upwards. The door didn't move in the slightest. He tried again. It still refused to move. His grip tightened as he dragged it towards him. It continued to thwart his attempts. The wood was thick – almost as thick as the pillars.

"I said stop!" Mukade cried.

Sasuke took a small step back. The harsh edge of the blade was pressed against his back. A thin trickle of blood burst forth. He felt it glide down his back. Otokaze and Mukade reached for his arms, but failed. He strode forward and kicked at the door. It shook. He did it a second time. The door shook again. On the third kick it came down with a _crash_!

Those within, all with otherworldly, deathly complexions froze. Their dead eyes turned to fix on him. Then, slowly, menacingly, they turned to Otokaze and Mukade. The two had turned stiff with terror. Sasuke paid them no heed. His eyes, for the briefest of moments, had flickered to the large slabs of meat that fell over the edges of their plates. There were bowls full of a clear liquid that had no known origin.

Sasuke drew Otokaze's sword. With a deft throw it had soared through the air to the opposite side of the strangely shaped building. One being, green as mould, with an eye patch over its right eye, was unfortunate enough to be pierced by the sword. The bowl of clear liquid fell from his hands. He staggered back, choking on wails, until finally collapsing.

Sasuke tensed. The deceased had collapsed right in front of a gargantuan throne. A fiend of monstrous proportions sat there. There were three glowing red eyes down each side of the front of its face and two on each side by its ears. The highest was the largest and the lowest were barely the width of one of its humongous fingers. A low growl rumbled in its chest and the whole building quivered. It fixed Sasuke with its six eyes and enough intensity to fell a weaker man. As it was, both Otokaze and Mukade had fallen to their knees. Their heads were bowed as though they had fallen asleep upright.

The others rose. Their eyes burned with righteous fury. Their swords were drawn. At best, there were under thirty of them and Sasuke was the sole enemy. One, nearest to the one on the throne, made strange snarling sounds.

"Who are you?" he croaked. "How do you dare disturb the master?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. No sound came from him.

Otokaze dropped into a clumsy bow. "My… My name is Otokaze, greater conqueror! I… I have…"

Mukade hastily followed in his companions footsteps. "My name is Mukade, great conqueror! I too have… We have… together… this intruder…"

A great fist was brought down onto the arm of the throne. The floor seemed to bounce. The doors quailed.

The one farthest back croaked out again. "What business has you in the master's land?"

Sasuke stayed silent.

"Let him be!" the gargantuan friend chortled. "If he dares raise a sword to my weapons he will pay. Run, if you like. There is no escape for you kind."

The horde of inhuman beings staggers forward, swaying from side to side. Their swords are drawn promptly. Otokaze and Mukade drop to their knees. Their hands clamp down over their ears.

Sasuke drew his own sword. He took it in both hands, bringing it to the front, the tip facing upwards and centring it to his body. His eyes closed. The memories of the mountain top and his long hours of training returned. He ran his middle and fore finger from the hilt. The familiar rush of energy pulsed through the metal of the blade. The darkness that pervaded his closed eyes became suddenly bright.

He flicked his wrist. The sword came down on the left, moving instantly to the right and then to the centre. Each blow, though coming to halt just above the ground, brought vast eruptions. He swung the sword away from himself and opened his eyes to a view of carnage. The vast majority of his enemies were lying lifelessly in a wide pool of blood.

He looked up. "You asked who I am,"

The throne jumped when its inhabitant leaped up. The spikes on the armour shielding his shoulders scraped against the lowest area of the upwards slanted ceiling. His disproportionally small head jolted from side to side with a horrendous _crunch_ of bones. He snatched up two swords twice the length of his weighty arms. They were steeply curved with serrated edges and hilts that were of the same piece of metal that the blade was forged from.

"So brave," he snarled. "I would like to see your strength run dry by my dāo. All of you…"

"Please!" the quivering guards shrieked. "Not us!"

Sasuke burst into a run. He raced to the left side of the room. The three fiends fell with a great artistic flourish of crimson. The wine bowls, the tables and the food was painted. He slipped behind the fiend without obstruction and felled the remaining combaters. His boots splashed in the blood. There was barely a stray droplet on his coat. Sasuke looked up at his enemy.

The fiend stomped over. "You shall pay,"

Sasuke raised his sword as he did before. The feeling of his fingers running over the cool metal brought a sudden solace to his heart. The attack was summoned as before. The eruptions of the earth staggered the fiend. One of his swords struck at Sasuke's arm. A long gash tore down his upper arm. It fell to his side limply.

Sasuke dashed forward. His right hand clenched the hilt. As he passed the fiend he slashed at one leg. It was as wide as a thick tree trunk. He made little more than a deep scratch. He threw himself backwards. Once the wall was safely behind him, pressing comfortingly at his back, he swung his sword forward. He took a deep breath, watching his enemy without even the slightest lapse of concentration. Soon, power pulsed within the sword again.

He slashed once to the right, then to the left. With each slash came a semi-circular wave of blue energy. It forced the fiend back. He didn't stay to find out if any damage had been done. His feet carried him without incident to where he had begun his assault. He watched as the fiend approached. The loud stomping soon died away as it stepped on a shattered shard of protruding earth. He lunged then. His sword tore the fiend's gut.

The fiend roared. The eyes on its arms glowed. Then, with a rousing finality, he crashed down onto his throne. It split and shattered under his weight. The dāo fell from his hands.

The ring of a small bell filled the room. Shō came in and landed on one of the carcasses. He tilted his head to the side. A sharp cry fled through the air. Sasuke stirred at that from his place on his knees. His dark eyes glared at his loyal companion. His lips began curling into a predatory snarl when he hunched further forward. His hand tried to stop his fall. It shook violently beneath him. A feral growl ripped up his throat. His left hand shot towards chest.

**Author's Note: Oh, yes. I really, really am glad that I'm getting that in. I'm sorry that I had to wait so long for this chapter to be uploaded. You see, there have been a lot of announcements about the television adaptation of this story. As such, with my severe hatred of it, I was unable to face this. I… I owe this and that my life, you know. I wouldn't really be here if not for these two franchises. So, with all that I know from the adaptations made of the other franchise, this will not be pleasant. So, yes I was a bit behind. Then, of all things, they announced they were going to make another adaptation of the other franchise! My heart really hasn't been in this, I'm sorry. I'll be better from now on. I promise. I hope that I haven't disappointed you. I think my own feelings are enough of that sort.**


	8. Chapter 8

Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín

In the vastness of the crumbling world there was a man and a sword. He spoke little and knew no smile. He was burdened with the will of a higher power and the actions of the past that lay beyond his reach and redemption. A pain was set upon him on the nights of the waning moon that no word or reason would diminish.

He was bound to the last by a fate unwanted.

這把劍，這疼痛

Sasuke knelt by the colossal corpse of his victim. Shō emitted a quick, sharp cry and bounced on the beast's stomach. He ignored his loyal companion. The white of his eyes seemed to light up as his eyes darted back and forth. The dāo were out of reach of the lifeless hands. Sasuke bowed his head. The teachings of his master were all at once returned to the deepest shadows of his mind.

He frowned. His eyes flickered from Shō to the slain. A deep sense of unease rose in him. He turned his palm towards the corpse and moved his hand slowly closer. A small sphere swirling with qì came into the space just above his flesh. A deep crease furrowed his brow. He snatched his hand back, turning it to a tight fist. The sphere vanished.

Sasuke stood up suddenly. He looked at the corpse's face. There was no life remaining in the corpse. As he did so he noted a faint umbrous appear about the edge of his sight. He tensed. Not a moment later there came three flashes of deepest bloody crimson. He reached out as it to catch something that might aid his balance.

Instead, to his surprise, there came little orbs from deep within the corpse. They rose as though lethargic. Most possessed a crimson glow, but there were some that shone viridian. Sasuke paid little heed to the colours. He watched warily as they came to him, joining into something that was larger and more powerful.

The clatter of a sword burst through the deathly stillness exercised in the room. Shō shot a contemptuous glare to the two bumbling guards. A sharp squawk of anger followed. Then, with dignity, he returned to watching the strange transaction between his master and the slain.

Otokaze turned to Mukade. "That power…"

Mukade nodded. "Not of us. No one can take a person's…"

Otokaze stiffened. "You know what that is?"

He shook his head. A grave expression took to him quickly. His stomach flipped nervously.

Otokaze lowered his voice. "What person can do that if not us?"

Mukade averted his eyes. "A beast, definitely, nothing else could do that. He has to be like these _murderers_,"

His companion quivered. "Must he?"

He nodded grimly. "Why else would a stranger come here?"

* * *

_What was that? His arm was pulsing, glowing. It wasn't before. This must be the reason why. What else could do that?_

Shō cried out softly.

"Have you seen one of these before?" Sasuke asked quietly. His companion didn't respond. He sighed and folded his arms. "The prisoners might know something. They might tell me when I let them out."

He started walking again. There was no wolf or guard to bar his path. His eyes flickered from side to side suspiciously. The silence was too deep, too profound. He stepped out to the clearing. The entrance to the abandoned mine stood before him. He stepped around the corpses of the guards that he had slain. All four were exactly as he had left them.

Shō cried out, startling him. Sasuke looked up just in time to watch his friend vanish within the depths of the make shift prison. He followed slowly. It was still in his hand. His heart pounded. He feared it, and he began to question those he had been confronted with. They hadn't seemed as prisoners had meant to be.

"He's here!" the man in coral was pressed against the bars. "You returned! You returned for us! Thank you, kind sir, thank you!"

Sasuke inclined his head out of politeness. "I found no key. However, there were these,"

He placed the three bundles on the dusty floor. Naruto lunged at them, forcing Orochimaru out of his way as he did so. The woman was jolted. She blinked in rapid succession and sucked in a sharp breath. Orochimaru took her by the arm.

"Yes," Naruto grinned. "This is exactly what we need!"

The man in purple hopped from foot to foot. "Please, let us go. Please, this place, this place I cannot stand. Who could bear a moment more?"

The woman sighed and spoke in her low, straining tones. "I am glad to see you well, saviour. I was afraid that the demons would have killed you and devoured your soul,"

Sasuke glanced at her. She appeared entirely detached from herself. There wasn't even the slightest flicker of emotion on her face despite it being the fate that she had been facing herself.

The man in purple jumped. "Our souls, you mean it's true? They _do_ devour souls?"

"Yes," she responded matter-of-factly. "A devoured soul cannot go on to the after life. A devoured soul cannot re-incarnate. The dead is dead."

Naruto grinned, standing up. "Then we had a lucky escape, right? When we get out we should have a celebration. I'm going to visit the poor and give them my earnings,"

The woman smiled at him kindly. "What of the money you said you would pay our saviour?"

He stiffened. "Ah, well, I did, didn't I?"

Sasuke muttered. "I don't want money,"

Orochimaru's eyes lit up. An almost imperceptible grin took to his features. The hand which balanced his companion was retracted. He clasped them together inside his long sleeves where they promptly vanished from sight.

"Here goes," Naruto sighed at the unwrapped bundles. "I found it! Here."

He took out a short, squat blue scroll and unfurled it slowly. The white parchment was covered in strange words used by people long since passed. Naruto nodded in contentment. He lifted it and pressed it firmly against the bar set against the door. His hand smacked against its surface before he skipped back, out of the way.

A long moment passed in utter silence. Then, the bars began to quake. A burst of crimson shot out. The door burst open and crashed against the wall. It fell to the ground not long after.

Orochimaru smiled courteously. "Congratulations, Naruto. That was very well executed,"

Naruto grinned, hurrying past the doorway. "I feel the fresh air from here,"

"There is no fresh air here," Sasuke responded curtly.

He frowned. "It's fresher than the prison. You can't get worse than in there,"

Shō fluttered his wings. The bell around the red string of his neck trilled. He squawked.

"A bird!" a shudder ran down Naruto's back. "Is that yours?"

"His name is Shō," Sasuke replies.

"That's a nice name. It suits him," he mused. "I think I saw a bird a while ago. Did you send him to look out for us? Was he your spy?"

"No," Sasuke dead-panned.

He frowned. "I could have sworn that there was something up there,"

Shō cried out shrilly. Naruto winced, flinching and tensing up. His hands formed tight fists as the sound re-bounded in his ears. He eventually turned around to scowl at the bird. Shō turned his head away and lifted his left foot in a _shoo_ gesture.

Naruto scowled. "Hey, what did I say? I wasn't insulting you!"

"You should calm down, Naruto," Orochimaru warned lightly. "We may be indebted to this creature in some way. Shō deserves our respect and gratitude."

He huffed. "Doing something heroic doesn't mean he can be arrogant,"

"That is his choice," he responded politely. "It is your choice whether to treat him kindly or not."

Naruto entered the prison again and helped the man in purple to his feet. He made no further comment on the bird. Orochimaru smiled at his elderly companion and offered his arm. She accepted his aid gratefully and they exited. However, the man in purple quickly collapsed, twisting his ankle as he went down.

Naruto sighed. "Elder, can you help him?"

She reluctantly knelt by the wailing man's side. The other two prisoners crowded around to make comments or offer advice. Sasuke said nothing, choosing to instead lean against the cave wall a short distance away. Shō was perched on a small piece of out-cropping rock close to his head. Neither moved.

Orochimaru approached, giving a low bow. "Thank you,"

Sasuke inclined his head out of courtesy. He had no intention of conversing with them.

"I am afraid that I have little in the way of money to offer," Orochimaru began, ashamedly. "I know that you risked a great deal."

Sasuke looked him in the eye. "I don't want money,"

He bowed in understanding. "I understand, but you too must understand. My life, and that of my companion, was at the gravest of risk. I know nothing of your motives, and I dare not judge you by my own experience. However, if I may, you seem troubled. Did you encounter something to make you anxious?"

He straightened up. "There may have been,"

Orochimaru offered a kind smile. "Do you wish to speak of it? I may seem ignorant of demons, but I assure you, I am not,"

Sasuke frowned. "You interrupted your companion earlier. She was going to warn me of something. One of your other companions told me that I wouldn't slay them. What do you know? Why should I trust you?"

The carefully made mask crumbled and a flicker of a distant emotion came through. "There is nothing that I can offer in this place. The gratitude that I have is all that I can swear by. For many, that alone would not suffice,"

"You're right," he brought his hand forward and opened it. "Tell me what it is."

He didn't miss even the slightest of emotional shifts on the elder's face. Orochimaru's forehead creased deeply. His lips settled into a firm frown. There was definite recognition in his eyes.

"This is not something that can be spoken of openly," he warned. "However, it is not the only one of its kind. It would explain the level of danger that the demon presented. It would also explain why it seemed impossible for the demon to be defeated. I can offer little more information in the company of such strangers."

Sasuke stepped away from the wall. "They're strangers?"

Orochimaru glanced over at them. They were still huddled around, speaking in rushed, hushed tones. A flicker of something dark sparked in his eyes. He pressed his lips together as if to suppress some great emotion.

"I have seen Naruto. He is from a wealthy family and is quite sociable. The woman is my servant," he looked back to Sasuke with a pleasant enough expression. "I know nothing of the other three that was not from my time in captivity. However, I doubt that they could be trusted with such sensitive information."

"Tell me something," he insisted. "I have no reason to listen to you otherwise."

"I understand your reluctance," he sighed. "There is an article known as _Special Jade_. It was one, but since has been scattered throughout the lands of this world. These fragments pose a great threat, as you have seen. There are demons who have gained possession of them…"

The others began to move away from one another. Orochimaru lowered his head. His shoulders tensed visibly beneath the layers of his clothing.

He continued, as lowly as he could. "They must be recovered and restored. Young man, I am not someone who gives easily, and not without a true reasoning to. If you choose to aid me by restoring this article I will give you something that is worth a great many lifetimes,"

Sasuke watched as he walked away. The elderly woman appeared pleased that he was again at her side. They spoke quickly and quietly.

**Author's Note: I felt that it was necessary to apologise again. I truly don't intend to be racing for the deadline like this. However, there's no need to worry. I'm doing really quite well now. However, I must ask, have you heard of a new law that is being proposed? It will ban fan art, fan fiction as it has some origin in copyright. I have no recollection of its name but I must ask, is it true? Have you heard of it? I hope it isn't.**

**Regardless of that, thank you.**


	9. Chapter 9

Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín

In the vastness of the crumbling world there was a man and a sword. He spoke little and knew no smile. He was burdened with the will of a higher power and the actions of the past that lay beyond his reach and redemption. A pain was set upon him on the nights of the waning moon that no word or reason would diminish.

He was bound to the last by a fate unwanted.

你！

"See, you're fine," Naruto straightened up. "We're free now so let's go."

The woman scowled at him. "Leave him be, boy. You have no understanding of others,"

Naruto frowned and moved out of the way. The man in purple wailed even louder, flinging his hands down to the ground in a gesture of utter hopelessness. He received fierce glares in response. It only served to elicit more whimpers, but he grasped on to the prison bars. Slowly, he eased himself to his feet and tried to hobble away.

"Ah! This is where you went!" Otokaze exclaimed. "Now I understand why you came!"

Mukade followed him closely behind. They each clutched at their sheaths. Sasuke's gaze flickered in their direction for a moment. Their swords had been attached to their belts before. They were untrusting.

Naruto crept forward. "Who are you two?"

The answer came sharply. "We were the guards of this fortress. My name is Mukade. My companion is Otokaze,"

Otokaze nodded firmly. "Young sir, please, your task has been accomplished. May we leave now?"

He didn't look at them. "Leave when you want,"

"Why are you so cold?" Naruto frowned. "These people want to leave. They were in danger just by being here. You should be kinder to them."

"Naruto," Orochimaru spoke calmly. "Let the matter be. We thank you, young man, for our lives. We are indebted to you already but I must enquire whether you will lead us to safety or not. The dangers of this land are not limited to this fortress. I suppose that you must know that. Please understand that we are not being unreasonable. We simply wish to live."

Sasuke turned and stalked away. "I have to return. Follow me,"

Naruto grinned at the elderly woman. She merely pursed her thin lips in response. Her gaze pierced as the sharpest blade would.

"Come on!" Otokaze called. "He's leaving. We can't let him go without us,"

He and Mukade turned and fled as fast they could. The former captives followed at a gentler pace. Naruto slung the man in purple's arm over his shoulder and led him out step by painful step. Orochimaru was about to follow them.

"Sir," the woman called. "We are not alone."

He returned to the prison where she stood. She gestured towards the fabrics that had held the objections necessary for their escape. There were two small, greyish rabbits that sat contentedly. The cloth was still upon their backs. One had its right hind leg bound. It wasn't perturbed in the slightest by the restriction on its mobility.

He smiled at the woman in feigned amusement. "Do you suspect they were to be eaten?"

She shook her head solemnly. "I have no thoughts on our captors' nourishment. It is not those that I am aware of,"

He looked back. "I see,"

A moment later the cloth twisted. There was a sudden myriad of wrinkles that ran up and down the length and breadth of it. The rabbits bowed closer to the ground. A sharp sound of protest was raised. The form beneath the layers of cloth was beginning to take shape before their eyes. There were short legs and a certain roundedness to it.

One rabbit leaned forward and began to nibble on the cloth. The slight shift brought about the tumble of the now free fox. It cried sharply once more but simply twisted and stretched, remaining asleep. Its short body was a mass of bright, seemingly glowing auburn fur. A long tail was curled about it for comfort or warmth. The tip was a white point.

Orochimaru scoffed lightly. "It appears that we truly are not alone. I applaud your observation,"

She shuffled around and peered up into his face. "My Lord, do you have any intention for this creature?"

He shook his head. "I feel that a further companion would only burden us. However, this is an interesting little one. Tell me, what is your opinion of it?"

* * *

The dust blew up suddenly. Arms were thrown up in defence of startled eyes. The reddish nature of the sky, though dull, seared into those who had been captive. The shadows of the desert land were the only solace available. The towering walls of wood imposed a sense of claustrophobia. They were huddled together in a group that was prepared to disperse at the first sign of possible danger.

Naruto coughed into his fist. His throat burned. His legs felt strange now that he was walking. He blinked in rapid succession to rid the particles of unkind dust and sand. He shook his head lightly. He needed water. His head was beginning to ache.

"I know!" Mukade snapped. "I worked here! I know the way out!"

"You only know the way out because you're cowards," someone retorted.

Mukade turned on him. "I am not a coward!"

"Please," Otokaze urged. "Let this go. Let it go, Mukade. They don't know. We do. _We_ do. That's what matters."

Naruto shook his head in disapproval. The atmosphere was growing heavier and heavier. He sighed, growing bored with the bickering when a shadow lunged.

"Ah!" he threw his arms up.

The blade whispered as it pivoted; spinning and twisting towards him. He leaped back. His hands clutched at his face in a desperate bid to protect himself. A stone tripped him and he went sprawling.

"Oh… No! _No_!" he exclaimed, jolting upright. "_No_!"

The demon was lying lifelessly on the ground. Blood flooded out from a gaping wound on its side. His face was upturned and his empty eyes stared upwards. His mouth was still open in its war cry. The blade, curved thrice, was clattering on the uneven ground. The din of its descent was slowly fading out of existence. Sasuke stood over the corpse.

"What have you done?" Naruto thundered: his face a storm. "Why did you kill him?"

Otokaze stammered. "That was a demon, sir, a demon. What else do you do to demons?"

He shot the cowardly guard a glare. "You don't rip its stomach out!"

A loud silence filled the fortress. Incredulous gazes were fixed unrelentingly on the rambunctious blond. He met each and every one with a locked jaw and fury boiling out from within. His hands fisted in the dirt.

Nothing escaped Sasuke's gaze. "He would have killed you,"

Naruto jumped up. "I'm a lot of things, but not stupid. That sword was coming for me. That death was meant for me! You don't have the right to kill him,"

Sasuke started.

Mukade inched back. "What would you have done? He saved your life, twice, and this is how you repay him? You yell at him?"

He nodded. "That's because no one has the right to decide whether someone dies - no one!"

Sasuke flinched. A torrent of agonising, crippling pain caught him. He raised his hand to his head. The world flickered in shades of blood: wet, drying, dry. A shiver ran down his spine. Others swiftly followed: fresh, crusted, waning puddles. His legs trembled.

Naruto continued, unaware. "Do you hear me, _hero_? No one has that right,"

The crowd parted as Orochimaru approached the two. The weighty atmosphere of fury and faiths had no effect on him. He was as calm and composed as he ever had been. His eyes flickered between them. A spark of excitement ran through his gaze.

"Child, calm down," he commanded quietly. "Young man, I apologise for my companion. He has an unresolved debate with death. I do hope that he has not caused the pain afflicting your mind."

He answered levelly. "I'm fine,"

The demon's dead body contracted noticeably. A shimmer darted about beneath his skin. Then, slowly, as with the other near corpses, there rose strange orbs of glowing light. They each merged into one. Sasuke, recognising the spectacle, removed the strange circular object from his pocket. They fused all together and it grew slightly more whole.

"What is that?" Naruto whispered. The murder was lost to his focus. "How did that happen?"

Orochimaru smiled wisely, folding his hands. "Ah, that, I believe, is the _Special Jade_. It is an article that possessed great power. Since its time of glory it had come apart. Its many fragments are scattered over the land. Some who possess it are demons. Those who possess fragments are given great power by it. I am afraid that now it is used only for great evil,"

Naruto shook his head defiantly. "These demons could have been frightened for their lives. That might be why they did what they did. That might be why-"

"Enough," the woman scolded. "Child, foolish child, listen. There are no lives that go without choice. To choose what it easy is within an innate nature. To choose for oneself is not. Even if you are correct a choice was made."

He lowered his head. There was a distinct air of dissatisfaction and deep misery that swallowed him. He said nothing and turned his head to look away.

Orochimaru turned to the others. "There is an air of power in this place. I fear that you may not have ended our worries despite our lives being our own. For that, I must make a request of you. If there is a greater peril in this place, then please lend us your sword. We must not waste the time that we have. I fear that something stirs in this land of death,"

The woman looked at Sasuke. "Our saviour, please, this land is not a place to wander. If we are to leave then this must be accomplished first. There can be no greater danger than that of an illusion, or complacency. Let us live,"

Sasuke was silent. The pain pulsed still through his fiery veins. It scorched his every muscle and organ. It made his mind conjure the taste of blood. His vision grew clouded for a moment. His voice twisted and it felt as though a knife were piercing through his throat. He almost felt the trickle of hot blood down his cold flesh.

"I will," he said simply.

The pain sparked. He flinched lightly.

"Hey," Naruto called.

Orochimaru's servant continued meandering along the passages without a backward glance. Unable to call her back they followed uneasily behind. Orochimaru grasped Sasuke's shoulder.

He didn't look at him. "What we encounter will set you to unease. I suggest that you listen to me now. There is little time for this,"

Sasuke looked at the elder distastefully. "What if I disagree?"

"You must keep that remnant to yourself," Orochimaru ordered. "If you will aid us there is a medicine that I can complete for you. It can revive one from death. There is always someone that is cherished."

He strode after the others when Sasuke called after him. "What about you? Why give me that if everyone has someone that they wish to have returned? Why don't you use it for your person?"

Orochimaru paused. His strange eyes flickered.

"_Orochimaru," her voice was as light as air. "Orochimaru, stop. Stop!"_

_Her hands caught his wrists._

"_Let me go," he snarled. "Let me go. Go and run back to your palace!"_

_She shook her head. "No. No, I want to stay here. Orochimaru, please, stay with me. Who you are, I don't care. I don't care!"_

"There was a person, once," he spoke quietly. "Now there is a memory that has no face. There is no soul, no body. There is no hope, not even if I cared for that person to return."

**Author's Note: I went to my second comic convention. As I first uploaded these three stories after being inspired from my first comic convention I thought it to be suitable to do the same for my second. If I can attend **_**Scotland Loves Anime**_** I may even upload early again. I wonder if you can guess who that woman from Orochimaru's past is. I'd like to hear your thoughts. I'd also like to see you read about the smoky door to the living dead… Well, I think that it is the living dead.**

**Also, yes, I did change my username. I am now, and for ever, **_China Sorrows_**.**


	10. Chapter 10

Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín

In the vastness of the crumbling world there was a man and a sword. He spoke little and knew no smile. He was burdened with the will of a higher power and the actions of the past that lay beyond his reach and redemption. A pain was set upon him on the nights of the waning moon that no word or reason would diminish.

He was bound to the last by a fate unwanted.

我有同志？

The door in the side of the mountain stood taller than any of them. It was made of something that seemed very much like glass. Mist and fog swirled with a controlled ferocity. Where the doors met there was a small coffin shaped piece of metal that kept it sealed. There was a vast sea of crimson within it.

"This is not reassuring," Naruto commented.

No one argued. They stared simply with wide, disbelieving eyes and mouths that hung open. Some later shuffled their feet. The fear that had plagued their captivity had returned and almost all was caught within it.

"This is a place of danger," Orochimaru declared gravely. "We should all be alert."

"Yea," Naruto glowered. "The door with smoke swirling _inside_ it didn't give me that impression in the slightest. Neither did the masses of demons _murdered_ on our way here."

Sasuke ignored them. He stepped towards it despite his instincts rebelling. The sound of a throat being cleared stopped him. He peered over his shoulder.

Otokaze was wringing his hands pitifully. "Young sir, I would like to thank you for all of your efforts. Please, if you don't return, what is your name?"

A burst of anger flared within. He fought against the strange haze of absolute fury that boiled within his mind.

He turned back to the door. "Sasuke,"

"Wait," Orochimaru stepped towards his servant. "There are few in this realm_*_ who understand powers as my companion does. She, no doubt, has sound words to offer you."

All eyes turned to her but no sound was uttered in response. She stood, hunched forward, hands clasped. Her eyes peered sightlessly ahead. Her lips were curved firmly downwards as if in severe disapproval.

"Speaking of names," Naruto broke the silence with a touch of caution. "Who is your servant?"

Orochimaru replied at once. The tiny touch of reluctance was barely perceptible. "Her name is Tsuki*,"

"There is great power within that place. I would urge you to turn away if I could," she wheezed. "As I cannot, I offer you this instead – ensure that no worry lies in your heart. If you go within with fear or anxiety I dare not consider the consequences. Know only this: if you do not heed me the danger of that place it will become far greater. You would require the speed of thought for escape."

Naruto looked at him and then to the door. The power inside seemed as if it were waiting to burst out. He shuddered.

Sasuke inclined his head out of politeness. "I understand,"

He stepped towards it without any hesitation. The soft crunch of earth beneath his boots seemed loud and yet near silent. He felt no change within himself or in the others as he came to a stop before it. He brought the item out and held it on his palm before the little crimson lock.

The swirling within the door changed in an imperceptible way. The crimson of the lock flared and began to slowly fade away. He watched it intently. The doors groaned loudly. They drew slightly inwards before swinging outwards.

"Wait," Tsuki called. "Are you truly understanding of your own heart? There are many who would enter bravely but not return."

"Don't worry," Naruto grinned. "I can go in with him. I don't mind. I need to do something, after all. The prison can make you really tired. I should do something that really needs me at my best from now on."

"That is foolish," Orochimaru reproached. "However, I do understand what you intend. I know also that there can be no word to change your intentions. If it does not go against your wishes, Sasuke, I shall join you two. I believe that Tsuki will have told me enough over the course of our time that I could be of use without being as a hindrance."

Sasuke turned back to the door. "Your company is welcome,"

Orochimaru approached slowly. His hands were clasped, hidden beneath the folds of his sleeves. His elbow nudged Naruto as if to discourage him from the path. It didn't. They joined Sasuke at the open door and peered in with caution and curiosity. There was nothing to be seen but the darkness. There was no draft of air going in or coming out. No sound could penetrate it.

"That is only a fraction of what you face," Tsuki warned. "As I have warned you before, this is a place where you must not feel fear. If you have even the slightest worry you could suffer the direst of consequences."

She lowered her head as they entered. Her eyes, however, followed Orochimaru with unrestrained anxiety. She clasped her hands together and they vanished beneath her sleeves. A strange little bracelet had been sewn into the coarse fabric. She ran her fingers along it, mouthing words and prayers of old for his safe return.

"Don't worry," Otokaze urged, unable to conceal his own worry from his voice. "Your master will come back. That Sasuke will make sure of it."

She glanced at him wearily. "I do not worry for my lord,"

Glances were exchanged and questions were raised in the ensuing silence. Tsuki said no more.

* * *

"No…"

Naruto's whine echoed in the vast chamber. It had been hewn from the mountain without much detail given to precision. The floor was uneven and somewhat treacherous in places. The walls folded inwards in strange curves only to disappear behind its walls. The ceiling was little better than the walls and floor. It too lurched downward in a clumsy manner that gave a terrifying sensation of imminent collapse.

There were jagged pillars that rose up into shadows. The few that there short enough revealed tips sharp enough to make anyone intruder immediately look away. They were bound by thick chains. The chains were tied in unforgiving knots that no human hand could break and no mortal sword could damage. Each pillar was bound by its chain that eventually stretched away towards the ceiling.

There were strips of crimson material - large enough for sails - that clung to the chains. The material was nearer to the pillars than the centre. If it had been stretched all along the steam from the giant metal pot would have destroyed it in little time. As it was the pot was steaming a wispy grey smoke that rose and slithered to the floor.

Beneath the pot was a hole in the ground. It was deep – though the pot was on elevated ground – and in it burned fierce flames. The heat penetrated deep into the mountain and swallowed all who entered. It would have been enough to light the chamber even through the haze of smoke. The little candles dotted about were - if anything - a hindrance to its strength.

Sasuke strode forward. There was no true echo. The ghostly call of his steps was mimicked but the sound seemed far away and almost as if by someone else. The fire crackled and hissed to itself. He ignored its sounds that could have been mistaken for the echo of his steps. He refused to believe it was something so simple as that. His instincts were telling him to pay heed.

Sasuke stopped and turned to look back at his companions, knowing full well the danger that he invited by doing so. Orochimaru's eyes flickered gradually from place to place as if he wanted to memorise every detail of it. His solemn expression betrayed no emotion at all.

Naruto was horrified yet again by the sight of a corpse.

"He was not someone that could be saved," Orochimaru said simply. "It should not be your place to mourn. There are other matters for us to attend to."

"No," he snapped, suddenly wrathful. "This man died. Do you see anyone else? How can I not mourn? If I don't then who will? No one knows that he's dead. I can't be heartless like you."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped. There was a strange air about the chamber that he was only beginning to notice. He looked to the centre of the room. The pot was unchanged.

Naruto kneeled down by the body.

Sasuke barked. "Stop,"

He too approached the corpse and knelt down. His eyes flickered about the body. The clothes were intact and there were no blood stains to be seen. He didn't seem to possess any bruises or cuts either.

"Do you believe it was a demon?" Orochimaru enquired. "I sense no presences but our own."

Naruto muttered to himself. "Probably because they were all murdered,"

Sasuke nodded slowly. "Don't touch it,"

The blond shot him a glare but said nothing. He lowered his head as if embarrassed to say any more than he had already. His misgivings were as palpable as ever.

"What about his soul?" he asked quietly. "If he isn't buried his soul won't be able to rest. If anyone passes through here after a long enough time…"

Orochimaru glowered. "Would you like me to carry him out? Would you like me to leave you both here to the mercy of this place?"

"No!" he snapped. "I don't. That's not what I-"

"This could be the work of demonic forces," Sasuke said simply. "He has no injuries. It could be poison. It could be a curse. If we take him from this place they too might be consumed. We should leave him here. If you care that much you can offer him a prayer on our way out."

He sighed. "I know…"

However, no sooner were the words out of his mouth than there was a slight shift. There were no eyes upon it. However, as Naruto rose, there was the briefest of contact made. He leaped to his feet with a sudden shriek.

"That!" he exclaimed. "The body just… just… _moved_!"

They looked over. Sure enough, though just by a fraction, the man's fingers twitched. The rustle of his clothes soon revealed other slight shifts in his positioning.

"Ah," Orochimaru was the first to speak: the first to regain his clarity. "This must be because of the chamber's power. Do not fret, Naruto. The man must have been alive all this time. There is no power here that can revive the dead."

Naruto nodded, encouraged by the elder's words. Sasuke wasn't as convinced. He rose gradually to his feet. His eyes didn't stray in even the slightest from the unconscious man.

He spoke lowly, his suspicions returning. "There is no power_ here_?"

Orochimaru offered a wise smile and spoke as if for the first time. "There is no power, Sasuke. However, there is a _remedy_ to restore life to the dead. It can be forged. It would take great skill and many years to gather the necessary ingredients. Perhaps I could gift it to you for aiding us in ridding the world of this _Special Jade_,"

Naruto stepped back. "No, you can't. Orochimaru, you can't! You can't bring the dead back to life. You can't destroy the cycle of being,"

Neither gave him a response. It was quite clear, however, that Sasuke had been tempted. His eyes grew distant as he stared into what remained of his terrible past. The faces of his people, of Rin, of his mother and of his caring, guiding elder flickered through his mind.

Orochimaru answered before he could ask. "I can only forge one. I have not the years or strength for more, nor do I possess the inclination to search for them,"

The unconscious man made a low groaning sound in the back of his throat. His shoulders hunched. His eyes burst open and he stared up with dark eyes that saw nothing.

"Well," Orochimaru struggled not to give himself away. "What do you think, Sasuke? Do we have a deal?"

**Author's Note: I do hate falling behind with things. This is absolutely no exception. However, I do suppose that I **_**should**_** be apologising. I am sorry. I apologise if my change of username has caused you any inconvenience. I do believe that this is the one and only time that I will do such a thing. As such, this issue should not arise again. Thank you for reading.**

_*I can see this translation being misinterpreted terribly._

_*Realm – this is the Jiānghú. That translates to 'Rivers and Lakes'._

_*Tsuki – this is not her name. She __**is**__ a highly recognisable character. As such, I had to change her name until the grand revelation._


	11. Chapter 11

Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín

In the vastness of the crumbling world there was a man and a sword. He spoke little and knew no smile. He was burdened with the will of a higher power and the actions of the past that lay beyond his reach and redemption. A pain was set upon him on the nights of the waning moon that no word or reason would diminish.

He was bound to the last by a fate unwanted.

是的...

"What?" Naruto exclaimed. "No, you can't. Orochimaru, how can you say that?"

The elder turned with an irritatingly blank expression. "Words are simple to speak. That is why there is speech. As for the nature of this proposal, I do consider it to be correct. I understand that you believe differently but I did not ask it of you,"

He gritted his teeth. A low growling sound rumbled in the back of his throat. He clenched his fists but said no more. No word was sufficient to the anger boiling within him.

"And you!" he snapped. "How can you stand there and consider it? Don't you know what that would mean?"

Sasuke barely glanced at him. He didn't deign to respond.

Orochimaru responded simply. "I made a genuine proposition, Naruto. It would be foolish to not consider it,"

He whipped around, throwing his hands in the air. "If you bring back the dead you're playing with life! Life and death have to balanced! Don't you know that? Don't you know what you could do? Sasuke, you have to decline, you have to!"

Sasuke looked to the elder. "What makes you so sure that I want people to return?"

"It is for the same reason that I will give to Naruto's questions," he tried to appear kinder. "In your case, Sasuke, the acquisition of such a remedy need not be for yourself. If you so appreciate living solitary life you may use it to bargain with others. _That_, yes, Naruto, is something that comes with a great risk. However, I feel that I have no need to explain the perils that come of the _Special Jade_. If that article remains in this world, remains scattered to all creatures, there is a greater chance of suffering and death. One resurrection can save countless lives. How can you be opposed to that?"

The blond stammered. He opened his mouth as if to argue but no words came. The frustration was evident in his eyes. He clenched his fists and scowled at the ground.

"I…" Sasuke looked back at the centre piece of the chamber. "I will aid you in find the remnants of the article. However, I have not decided whether I will take your offer, nor have I decided to aid you in recovering _all_ of the article."

Orochimaru bowed. "Thank you,"

Naruto tore at his hair with a sudden strangled outcry. He shook his head profusely but he knew that he had no argument to make. He let out a long sigh and slumped forward. Orochimaru turned to scold the youth.

Sasuke turned his back to them. He had no true concern about what he was going to do. His agreement was not truly made. If he changed his mind it wouldn't adversely affect him.

"Can you fight?" he asked suddenly.

The bickering was silenced.

Naruto responded first. "I won't fight if I don't have to,"

Orochimaru bowed. "I am afraid that I have little skill in such matters,"

Sasuke studied the great smoking object in the centre of the chamber. "We should search this place,"

Naruto straightened up. "I don't want to leave this guy here. You two can go ahead. I can manage on my own,"

Orochimaru frowned. "I fear that this is not a place where a person should be alone. Do you believe that you are strong enough?"

He nodded. "I understand the dangers. I understand the risks. You two can go ahead. I promise that I'll be fine on my own,"

Sasuke began to make his way around the great smoking object. His gaze fluttered between it and the walls. He struggled not to stumble or lose his footing in even the first few strides. Orochimaru easily came to walk at his side. His elder seemed to experience far less difficulty.

"I apologise for my friend," he sighed quietly. "I heard, not too long ago, of his father's death. His father was a Buddhist and he died doing what was right for the people. His death affected Naruto. The boy was unable to continue as he had done previously. That is why he has come to despise death against all creatures. As he is he could not become a Buddhist. There would be too many changes required of him. He does what he can, however, to follow devoutly in his father's steps."

Sasuke frowned faintly. His eyes narrowed slightly. They were almost at the opposite side of the chamber to Naruto and the entrance. The air remained suspicious but there had been not even the faintest shadow to arouse suspicion. His lips settled to a grim line. Orochimaru saw everything. He was distracted by thoughts of his father.

No matter how he tried he had no memory of the man; of there ever being such a man.

"Perhaps," Orochimaru frowned. "Perhaps I was incorrect. I see no demons."

Sasuke glanced at the elder. "Do you think they could have escaped?"

He shook his head. "It is more than possible for a demon to kill silently. However, I feel no presence here. I should have seen or heard something if there had been an escape. This may simply be a mistake on my part. Tsuki is not as she was, either. I fear that we may have wasted everyone's time. I apologise for that,"

The body was beginning to come in to view. He was still lying there, unmoving, and in the exact same position that he had been in when they had left. He wasn't twitching or trembling any more. Naruto appeared after that. He paced backwards and forwards, muttering to himself. He clenched and loosened his fists as his pacing began to turn erratic.

"Naruto,"

He looked up. "We were wrong,"

He appeared paler than before. The confidence had been drained away completely. He opened his mouth as if to speak but no sound would come. His eyes flickered back to the body at his feet. The man had ceased all movements.

"This…" Orochimaru frowned as he kneeled by the body. He pressed his fingers to the man's throat. "This must have been a miscalculation on my part. I admit my error."

Naruto's jaw clenched. "You miscalculated? Someone is _dead_! How can you miscalculate that?"

He raised his head. "That is a simple error. There were too many factors to consider, some that no human could consider reasonably. However, as this is the result, I find that the appropriate course of action now is to bury him. I believe that you have some understanding of burials,"

Sasuke glanced up at the chamber ceiling. The smoke created a thin mist that danced in and around the deeper shadows. Still there were none of the promised demons. He frowned. It was almost disappointing.

* * *

A slate stood tall though was terribly slanted. There were no words carved upon its ragged surface. Naruto stood with his hands pressed together as he uttered a funeral chant. There was a large, uneven mound where the body lay on a bed of hard desert sand and ancient layers of rock and stone. He tried to remain as composed as possible in the unfortunate circumstances of the man's burial.

Sasuke glanced back over his shoulder. He retreated around a sharp corner. Shō led the way with a series of muted chirps. His strong wings beat in the still air. His keen eyes scoured the different passages before diving down to the ground. He landed by a small box that was enclosed in the embrace of a metal chain. Shō chirped loudly.

Sasuke's confident steps faltered. He peered at it for a long moment. Then, gradually, he drew out some of a strange power that had come to his possession. He extended his hand out and it materialised leisurely. He pushed his hand away, turning his palm first to the sky and then in the opposite direction from himself. It drifted from his palm.

The shape that, once apart from him, it began to take was queer. It was a dark oval shape as though a giant egg too big to fit solely on his palm. There were green lumps that covered its back. It hovered above the earth. A long strand, like a tail, flicked out. The whole creature then began to fade from sight entirely.

"Do you dislike death?"

Sasuke turned. Shō squawked as though in warning. He already knew who it would be. There was no surprise at all on his face when he met the Orochimaru's strangely, continuously calm gaze.

The elder almost laughed. "Is there a reason that you left the burial? There are questions being asked. I don't suppose that you care for such trivial matters. I am merely warning you of any suspicion that may come at a later time. It would be wiser not to arouse any suspicion at all,"

Sasuke inclined his head lightly. "Thank you for the advice,"

Orochimaru allowed a shallow smile. "I see you have found a little gift. I recognise it from a book that I had read once, long ago. It has strength to be borrowed, if so required,"

Shō flapped his wings in what seemed to be impatience.

The elder bowed. "I see I am unwanted. I shall leave first,"

Sasuke soon turned back to the small box. Orochimaru paused, glanced back, and turned to a different passage. This one was unoccupied, save for the soft footfalls of Tsuki coming behind him. He strode on without pause, without slowing. The tall walls were enough there to conceal them and none of the others had shown enough skill to detect their presences otherwise.

He smiled at the sight of the end. "Do you intend to dissuade me, Tsuki?"

She shook her head, rasping hoarsely. "My Lord knows what is best. I merely stand by his side,"

He glanced at her. "Tell me truly think,"

"I…" she faltered. "I believe that my Lord is kind. I believe that my Lord is capable of many feats. I believe that my words will remain only as words in your ears, my Lord. I have no other words for you."

He looked ahead again. "That is wise,"

His left hand slid within the confines of his right sleeve. His fingers found contact with a rough surface almost at once. He smiled to himself and drew it out. The paper was rectangular in shape. A thin black border surrounded it. The paper was in the most favourite and treasured colour of the emperor – the one he coveted for himself – yellow.

He raised it slightly, murmuring in a voice only slightly different to his usual tone. The words that came were ancient and as quiet and solemn as a burial of a dearly beloved person. Tsuki strained to hear him. She could not. He had little to say to ensure that his will was enforced. The paper shimmered, morphing, drifting upwards and lengthening with grace.

It took the form of a gilded dragonfly but it maintained four wings. Each was set to a rounded shape. Its small face turned as it looked left and then right and then eventually looking up. It didn't cower at the sight of him. He was used to people behaving in that way towards him.

"Now," he murmured. "Listen to me. I have a task for you. I expect it to be accomplished in this one day…"

**Author's Note: I am suffering with my terrible skills in reading Chinese. Firstly, I have not the faintest idea of whether it is stupidly Simplified or Traditional. Even if that were not the case I would have terrible trouble in translating it. My listening skills are terribly few as well. That is why, once again, this chapter was racing for the deadline. I have not the foggiest why it is always this one. I find that to be exceedingly unfair. However, it would be wrong of me to say that I am not enjoying it somewhat. I may even do something akin to this with the glorious sequel! I fear that none of you understand precisely how marvellous it is.**


	12. Chapter 12

Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín

In the vastness of the crumbling world there was a man and a sword. He spoke little and knew no smile. He was burdened with the will of a higher power and the actions of the past that lay beyond his reach and redemption. A pain was set upon him on the nights of the waning moon that no word or reason would diminish.

He was bound to the last by a fate unwanted.

再見

A cold breeze rose as the small creature flapped its frail wings. It's back arched in a graceful, tight curve. The wings spread outwards and it shot in to the air. Orochimaru retracted his hand at once. The small creature trembled.

"Are you worried?" he enquired quietly.

Tsuki wheezed but shook her head. "I have no concerns for it,"

A smile stretched across Orochimaru's pale face. His eyes gleamed with pride and satisfaction.

The creature turned with a sharp cry in its near silent voice. It drifted higher and higher, farther and farther. There was no trace of it at all in mere moments.

"You do worry, Tsuki," he turned. "That is not good for your health. I would learn to relax if I were you."

She shook her head. "I cannot, my Lord,"

His eyes hardened. "Please, Tsuki, I am only asking this for your sake. If you were to suffer further in the remnants of this life I could not forgive myself. Let your worries go to another. We will soon be free and in the companionship of _our_ dear friend. You have no reason to worry. How many times must I tell you? He is more than trustworthy in our cause,"

She lowered her eyes. There was a slight tremor in her lips. She wanted to speak but the words that longed for freedom were devoured. She released a long sigh.

"My Lord," she pleaded. "I believe that you should consider this once again. This is not to ensure your happiness. I understand your wishes but this is not correct. I have lived for only a short time but I know of things that many who are older do not. Please consider my words with care. I only have the kindest of intentions, I swear."

He looked at her. His cold, calculating eyes were thorough. He gauged how it would be to taunt her.

"You are not too young," he said at last. "In your age you should appreciate that not all truths you perceive are truths at all. Your mind is weary. Let it rest."

Tsuki sucked in as deep a breath as she could. "My Lord, I am not insipid. I want only-"

She gasped. The breath caught in her throat. She coughed and coughed in to her fist. Her eyes were wide. She didn't dare look away.

"_Ha_," it breathed.

A bandage was wrapped around its emaciated skull. They were yellowing with age and covered its left eye. The clothes that it wore were dark blue. An emblem was stitched to its left sleeve. The shoes that it wore had long lost their soles. It thrust its right arm forward. The shimmer of its curved blade gleamed – newly polished – in the ominous light of the darkening sky.

"Do you feel that, Tsuki?" he asked lowly. "That is fear. That is what should concern you,"

Orochimaru strode forward. He took a partial step in front of Tsuki, obscuring her from view. The rustle of his long left sleeve filled the dead air. He hand swiped at the air.

A brilliantly gilded curve exploded to life. Its speed carried it to the unsuspecting and unprepared creature. The instant it came in to contact the former man was turned to dust. The light continued, burning even the tall, sturdy walls of the fortress. There were no ashes that drifted to the ground, save those of the wood: which were few.

Tsuki's frail body convulsed with a terrified tremor. "My Lord…"

He smiled over his shoulder kindly. "Are you all right?"

She could do little other than nod dumbly. His smile widened and he stepped away to face her. The wrath that had previously simmered within him had vanished.

He spoke humbly. "It seems that I have been incorrect many times this day. My captivity must have been more profound than I had expected. Nevertheless, I doubt that we should meet with yet another demon,"

His confident words swept her. He was a charming man when he wanted to be. However, the enchantment of his words soon faltered. It had been so long since he had been truly sincere.

She sighed. "My Lord, I-"

"Here you are!" Naruto called, waving his arms. "I was wondering where you went. Everyone was, actually."

Orochimaru turned away from Tsuki. "Is there something that you require, Naruto?"

He nodded. "We're ready to leave now. We just need you two,"

He gestured with his hand. "Lead the way,"

Naruto had turned and was already fading from view. Orochimaru followed in a far more leisurely and graceful manner. Tsuki found that her legs felt weak. They resisted all of her efforts. A sigh escaped from her defences.

She shook her head in timid disapproval. "Where is my Great Hero of the Grass?"

* * *

The large walls of the fortress finally stopped circling. The gates were wide open. The vast world awaited their departure from the land of the dead. They were more than pleased to see it. Otokaze and Mukade wailed and shouted praises. Some of the captives were equally vocal in their delight.

Sasuke was the first to cross the threshold. He did so slowly, deliberately. Then, he stopped entirely.

The others almost crashed in to him.

"Are there more?" Naruto whispered.

He turned. "You are free. I will leave first,"

There was a sudden surge as they tried to question him. None succeeded. In their frenzied attempts they had come to use more than the space available.

His figure disappeared behind the soaring bird and over the red earth.

Otokaze and Mukade exchanged a suspicion glance. They mouthed to one another.

**Author's Note: I know, I know. I'm bad for doing this. However, this chapter has ended. We're off to meet a certain **_**special**_** person now! I can't wait! I also can't wait for the sequel to arrive! That's right, the original story – a game – has part two out! I think I'm finally going to get my grubby hands on it! I'm so excited!**

**Thank you for your support! It means a lot.**


	13. Chapter 13

Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín

In the vastness of the crumbling world there was a man and a sword. He spoke little and knew no smile. He was burdened with the will of a higher power and the actions of the past that lay beyond his reach and redemption. A pain was set upon him on the nights of the waning moon that no word or reason would diminish.

He was bound to the last by a fate unwanted?

回來吧！

The whisper of rivers diverging and meeting filled the cool afternoon air. The tall viridian mountains reached for the edges of the sky and clouds. The trees swayed in continuous breezes. From the air it seemed as though the paradisiacal land was marred by a network of scars. They were ancient wooden bridges between mountains and paths.

Sasuke was reclining in a small area of lush, vibrant grass of a heightened circular plateau. One of the many bridges was three feet away. Shō was perched on his knee. The bird's keen eyes were fixated upon the sky but his ears were attentive. He ruffled his feathers. A low, subdued call rang out from his small beak.

"Rin would like this place," Sasuke commented quietly. "My mother would too…"

Shō flapped his wings, spreading them wide to express his annoyance.

Sasuke ignored him. "They would have come here often,"

He sighed loudly. His musings continued despite his companion's complaints and the approach of a small auburn figure. Her bright eyes peered across from the bridge that was built against the edge of a mountain. Neither looked her way. She crept closer. Her steps hastened as a deep impatience burst to life. She leaped over to the other bridge, managing to only just catch the edge of one of its old planks. A wailing whimper rose in her throat as she swung high above the valley.

Shō squawked. He turned towards the bridge with suspicious, beady black eyes.

Sasuke spoke lowly. "Calm down,"

He ruffled his feathers and shook his head. Gradually, he turned back to his master.

The girl dropped to her stomach. She crept closer to the two with wide and curious eyes. Her excitement was sparking. She moved faster despite the risk of being caught. Sasuke's eyes were distant still. He murmured to himself but the words were no longer intelligible.

Shō shot from Sasuke's side. He squawked loudly, flapping frantically. She shrieked and turned, racing away as fast as her small legs could go. The bird continued his predatory pursuit without even the slightest sign of relenting.

"…" Sasuke watched as the two vanished beyond the curve of the mountain. "That creature…"

He shook his head and started over the bridge as well. However, once at the other side, he followed the left path. It wound gradually down to the valley. There – with no true knowledge of his surroundings – he began to simply wind around the smaller mountain to his right. There was little space between the sharp incline of the mountain's base and the vast lake.

Soon, the sound of a singing voice met him. The melody was simple and would have been easy to replicate. He felt his thoughts and consciousness drift from him but chose to follow it. Its rhythm seemed familiar. He couldn't recall where he knew it from. A part of him hoped that it had come from his lost city. That thought was soon forgotten.

He found himself on the edge of the immense lake. The water lapped gently to the gilded soil and almost touched his boots each time. He glanced right, then left. There was no one.

"Brave,"

His head snapped forward. A young woman was bathing not far from where he was standing. Her skin was porcelain pale. Her eyes were as vivid and vibrant as the grasses and leaves in this land of plenty. She had hair alike the fresh flowers and blossoms.

He turned away immediately. "I apologise. I did not see you,"

Her eyes flickered up and down his figure searchingly. A vague smile soon appeared. She adjusted the cloth to protect her modesty and stepped forward. She moved with a taunting slowness and a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Young sir," she called. He flinched, stiffening soon after. "Why have you come here? Do you wish for a companion?"

He retreated in time with her every step. "No. I heard a voice and I followed its sound. I had no intention of intruding on you,"

She pouted playfully. "Do you not like me?"

He closed his eyes to shake his head. "I don't know you,"

His back pressed against the tree. A sudden surge of panic flooded his veins. He twisted his head to look even further away. His sweating hands clenched tightly.

There was less than a foot between them and still she leaned forward. "Am I not pretty enough?"

"I…" he took a deep breath. "I don't know."

"That's such a cruel thing to say to a lady," she chided. "I won't forget it."

Before he could protest his innocence her hands came to his face and turned his head so that he was looking directly at her. She smiled sweetly, withdrawing one hand. He tried to voice his innocence yet again when a palm struck near the soft spot under his left arm. He gasped but his throat had closed to that great an intake of air. He went to touch his throat to find out why and discovered his inability to move. His entire body had been immobilised.

"Oh," her mischievous expression changed, turning to awe. "What a lovely sword you have. I think that this is the first of its kind to appear before me."

She took another step forward. Her eyes shimmered appraisingly as she considered it. There was little other than the hilt visible as it was sheathed behind his back. The protrusions along the hilt were unusual in its startling shade of deepest crimson.

She reached out to touch it.

A flash of anger shot through his veins, blurring his vision crimson. "Leave it!"

She paused. "… Your eyes look angry. Perhaps this time will be beneficial to you,"

He tried to compose himself. "Release me, please. I meant no harm,"

She pivoted and wandered to her right. Sasuke's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't see her. That was the way he had come. She could disappear and leave him trapped in his own body! She smiled at his reaction as she gathered up her clothes from under a small bush.

He tried again. "I apologise. That was rude. Please release me,"

"That is a significant request," she murmured. "I think I won't. You could find your time here beneficial if you overcame your anger. I think I'll do that."

"I'm not angry," he tried to turn: unaccustomed to the restraint. "I apologised. What more do you want?"

She sat down on a thick tree branch near his head. Her head rested on the heel of her hand as she contemplated his enquiry. Her lips pursed. Then, finally, she shook her head. She sat upright.

"I want you to be a better person," she answered faintly, softly. "This is for your benefit, young hero. You should overcome what you can. This is my kindness to you… Who are you?"

He forced his voice to be smooth and calm. "My name is Sasuke. Who-"

She clapped her hands. "That's a lovely name,"

The interruption brought a flicker of anger to him. He found his face was all but stilled as well. His speech alone seemed unimpaired.

"Thank you, Sasuke," she whispered, leaning towards him. "I will not forget this encounter."

She snatched the sword from its sheath in an instant. She held it in both hands. The cool surface made her skin tingle. She threw herself back, legs swinging up in to the air. She twisted and came to land in a crouch. Her smile had returned.

"Wait!" Sasuke yelled. "Don't take that!"

She was gone. The path that had taken him to her had stolen her away. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut; trying to recall the paths that he hadn't taken and where they could have led. He eventually had a rough approximation. One path led up a mountain. From her speech it seemed as though she belonged to a sect. He knew that his sect had been based on the apex of a mountain.

He tried to grit his teeth. Those were memories that he was better off without.

When he finally found that he could move once more the sun had vanished below even the most diminutive of the mountains. Shō cried out, circling in the crimson sky. Sasuke took a staggering step forward. His limbs ached with the lack of movement. His hands shot out as he tried not to fall. Shō dove down to land in front of him. He cried out, spreading and retracting his wings at a dizzying rate. Sasuke's eyes narrowed determinedly.

A small auburn head poked out from around the wide trunk of a fallen tree. The dark little eyes gleamed with curiosity and wariness. Neither noticed her presence.

Shō shot back up in to the air. His wings were spread wide as he guided the way. Sasuke followed as quickly as he could. Given the directions he would soon have to scale mountains and waterfalls. Those worrying thoughts filled his head and distracted him from the minute follower.

* * *

The city was tranquil yet bustling. The streets were paved with flat grey tiles. There were a multitude of small bridges over peaceful rivers. The buildings stood proudly. Their tiles glistened beneath the sun in shades of brown and black. There were several streets where vendors gathered with their goods on mats or a lump of wood and a wok.

The small auburn creature stuck her head out in to the long street market where Sasuke had stood earlier. She stretched out her paw carefully. Her eyes darted back and forth suspiciously. Then, content with her findings, she wandered out in to plain sight. There were no consumers in the street. The doors of houses on either side were tightly closed.

Her tail curled tightly around and she turned. There was a stall right by her. She leaped up. Her front paws clung to the fabric as she peered up curiously. The vendor failed to notice her presence.

"Oh, how sweet," a girl cooed. "Look, look."

A tall boy stepped in to sight. "What is it?"

"I don't know," she smiled up at him. "Can you get it for me? I want to see it. Please."

He sighed, stomping forward reluctantly. "Fine,"

The small auburn creature released the fabric. Her paws pounded against the road as she raced for freedom. The sound of a butcher's axe soon stopped her in her tracks. She peered up shyly. He hadn't noticed. It came down with a _bang_ and the meat bounced. She glanced back. The two children were approaching slowly. She started to run again.

"Stop!" the girl cried.

She followed suit, as did her companion. Despite the width of the street they bumped in to someone else.

"I'm sorry," the boy called.

He bowed, clasping his hands together. The girl simply bowed. Then they were away.

The woman laughed quietly. Two men had been bickering and she had just resolved the matter. There was nothing that could change her temperament.

"Ah," she turned. "Merchant, what is that?"

The man jolted. "That is a pot. It costs twenty five taels,"

She smiled, leaning closer. "Could make it fifteen for _me_? Please, I would be grateful to you. I would be indebted to you,"

He stiffened. "What? Miss Haruno, you are of the Nǚ Wā sect. How can you speak so boldly?"

She leaned away. "What is that?"

He stammered, staring incredulously. His mouth was still hanging agape.

She pointed impatiently. "What is _that_?"

He jolted again. "That is not mine!"

Sakura kneeled down and reached out for it. Before she could touch it, the small auburn creature leaped to her feet. She vanished down the street in seconds.

**Author's Note: If this chapter is late I apologise. I'm dreadfully sorry. I do love this, I do. I won't let this happen again!**


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